New cases of chikungunya fever found at Lim Chu Kang area
By Lynda Hong, Channel NewsAsia | Posted: 25 August 2008 2054 hrs




The Aedes aegypti mosquito biting human flesh. (credit: US Department of Agriculture)


SINGAPORE: A new cluster of chikungunya fever has been identified in the Lim Chu Kang area.

The Ministry of Health (MOH) said the index cases are a 25-year-old Bangladeshi and a 41-year-old Singaporean.

They were working in the vicinity of the Lim Chu Kang Agro Technology Park, located at Lim Chu Kang Lane 2.

Thirty workers were screened as part of active case detection and three more workers were tested positive for the chikungunya virus.

They are a 23-year-old Malaysian, a 21-year-old Chinese national and a 31-year-old Myanmar national.

The ministry said the total number of cases linked to Lim Chu Kang now stands at five. Investigations are continuing.

Separately, one new case was identified at the Pasir Panjang Wholesale Centre, two at Kranji Way, three at Sungei Kadut, and one each at Yishun and Tuas.

To date, a total of 150 cases of chikungunya fever have been reported to MOH this year.

MOH has advised persons who develop symptoms of chikungunya to consult their doctors immediately. These include fever, joint pain and rashes.

Chikungunya fever, like dengue fever, is a mosquito-borne disease. Persons infected with chikungunya fever should be isolated from further mosquito bites so as to reduce the risk of further transmission of the virus. - CNA/vm