TWO confirmed cases of chikungunya have been recorded in Davao City according to the City Health Office (CHO) Tropical Disease Prevention & Control Unit.
“Katong giingon nako nga duha kabuok nga katong suspected na-affirm na g’yud na, naconfirm sya sa atoang updates ang results from RITM (Research Institute for Tropical Medicine) (The previously suspected cases we said last time it has been affirmed and confirmed by the RITM),” Melinda Babante, CHO Pest Control Officer, in an interview with the Davao City Disaster Radio, Wednesday, June 15, 2022.
Babante said the confirmed cases are from one household – a 39 year old mother and her 12 year old daughter – from Purok 27, Farmville, Barangay Ilang, Davao City.
“Sa among monitoring sa kaso, although recovered naman ang duha ka mag-ina, kaya lang ang sa mama, still daw karun ginapamati gihapon niya ang joint pains, pero common ni s’ya nga effect kung lalo na kung naa kay chikungunya (Based in our monitoring, although both of them already recovered the mother is still experiencing joint pains but this is a common effect if you have chikungunya),” Babante said.
According to Babante there are some cases when the effects or symptoms of chikungunya last for a year.
Babante said the transmission of chikungunya in Barangay Ilang has already been stopped.
“Sa amoang observation, murag nastop na ang transmission adto nga areas tungod kay gi-askyunan man dayon sa City Health Office (Based on our observation, the transmission of the virus has been stopped since the City Health Office took an action immediately),” Babante said.
Babante said they have conducted information education campaigns on the chikungunya virus and household surveillance.
Aside from the two confirmed cases, Babante said there are 16 more suspected cases in the same area while results for the 28 suspected cases in Barangay Panacan are still pending.
Chikungunya symptoms are particularly challenging to diagnose since patients often exhibit symptoms that are similar to dengue fever (fever, nausea, discomfort behind the eyes), but with more severe joint pains and the emergence of skin rashes earlier. KSD