Chikungunya claims 75 lives in Kerala

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Taking a serious note of the situation arising out of the spread of chikungunya which has claimed 75 lives so far in Kerala, an all-party meeting held here on Thursday decided to launch a comprehensive cleanliness and anti-mosquito drive in the state.

Addressing reporters after the meeting, state chief minister VS Achuthanandan said the viral fever, first detected four months ago, had so far claimed 75 lives and affected 42,750 people.

Around 4,900 people suffering from the fever were now under treatment at various hospitals in the state, including the worst-affected Alappuzha district where 68 persons had died of the disease and 3,248 were hospitalised.

Mr Achuthanandan said the disease had spread mainly due to the lethargy on the part of authorities in taking up cleanliness programmes before the onset of monsoon.

‘Clean Kerala’ would be the theme of the cleanliness drive to be launched with a convention here on October 13. The Cabinet meeting held earlier decided to sanction Rs 1 crore to various districts to take up measures for prevention and arranging facilities for treatment.

Earlier in the day, raising the chikungunya issue in the state assembly, the entire opposition boycotted the proceedings of the House and staged a sit-in outside the assembly hall.

Health minister PK Sreemathi told the assembly that all measures were being taken to contain the disease. Action would be taken against officials if any lapses were found, she said.