Virus fever epidemic adds to woes of Muttur displaced

[TamilNet, Sunday, 19 November 2006, 13:54 GMT]
Outbreak of virus fever in Trincomalee town and its suburbs is creating a health emergency as hundreds of patients haved flocked to the Trincomalee General Hospital, health officials in Trincomalee said. Internally displaced families from Muttur villages sheltered in schools and public buildings in Trincomalee town have to wrestle with increasing incidence of the virus fever even as they are undergoing severe hardships caused by rain and shortage of relief assistance, sources said.

The east port town is experiencing heavy evening showers, creating conditions for breeding of mosquitoes, carriers of the virus causing Dengue fever.

Health authorities in Trincomalee have taken steps to control the spread of the fever with the help of residents, removing garbage collected in the premises of houses and along roadsides without accumulating, sources said. They have also advised residents to remove and destroy empty coconut shells, discarded tins and vessels from their premises to prevent breeding of dengue mosquitoes.

Dengue fever is spread by the bite of infected (Aedes aegypti) mosquitoes. The fever is characterized by the rapid development of a fever that may last from three to seven days, intense headache, joint and muscle pain, loss of appetite, diarrhea and a rash.