More Chikungunya cases in New Caledonia

[Ronan Kelly]

Chikungunya case confirmed in New Caledonia
Posted at 01:41 on 28 February, 2011 UTC

Health authorities in New Caledonia have confirmed that the territory has had its first case of the mosquito-borne disease chikungunya.

The health director in Noumea says the individual, whose age and sex has not been disclosed, was carrying the disease on arrival but has since been cured.

Chikungunya is similar to dengue and in 2006 it claimed 250 lives when an epidemic hit about a third of the population of the French Indian Ocean island of La Reunion.

...

http://www.rnzi.com/pages/news.php?op=read&id=59022

[Ronan Kelly]

Re: Chikungunya case confirmed in New Caledonia

New Caledonia hopes chikungunya now contained
Posted at 06:39 on 03 March, 2011 UTC

Health authorities in New Caledonia sat they hope to have contained the territory?s first case of the mosquito-borne disease, chikungunya, but urge people to still take precautions.

The disease claimed 250 lives in the French Indian Ocean island of La Reunion in 2006 when an epidemic hit about a third of the island?s population.

...

http://www.rnzi.com/pages/news.php?op=read&id=59105

[Pathfinder]

Re: Chikungunya case confirmed in New Caledonia

<TABLE id=apex_layout_271110100662109808 class=formlayout border=0 summary=""><TBODY><TR><TD noWrap align=right>Archive Number</TD><TD noWrap align=left>20110308.0759</TD></TR><TR><TD noWrap align=right>Published Date</TD><TD noWrap align=left>08-MAR-2011</TD></TR><TR><TD noWrap align=right>Subject</TD><TD noWrap align=left>PRO/EDR> Chikungunya (06): New Caledonia</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

CHIKUNGUNYA (06): NEW CALEDONIA
*******************************
A ProMED-mail post
<http://www.promedmail.org>
ProMED-mail is a program of the
International Society for Infectious Diseases
<http://www.isid.org>

Date: Mon 4 Mar 2011
Source: Les Nouvelles Caledoniennes [in French, machine trans.,
edited Mod.SH]
<http://www.lnc.nc/pays/sante/231914-alerte-au-chikungunya.html>


This time, health authorities will not mince words. The risk of a
chikungunya epidemic is "extreme". The virus is there and the
population is not immune. "There's a choice, either everyone pushes
the envelope and avoids the epidemic," or "it can burn," warned Dr
Jean-Paul Grangeon, head of public health in the Dass-NC (Direction
des affaires sanitaires et sociales de Nouvelle- Caledonie;
Directorate of Health and Social Affairs of New Caledonia).

The 1st case of "autochthonous" [locally acquired] chikungunya was
diagnosed yesterday [3 Mar 2011] evening: the patient lives in Noumea
and was infected without leaving the Territory. This was the 3rd
person affected overall. The routing of the virus was direct and
quick. "The 1st person who returned from Indonesia infected with the
chikungunya visited Farino. There, a relative was bitten by a mosquito
that had bitten the patient. This person came to the area of Noumea,
carrying the virus, and was bitten by a mosquito, which went to infect
a 3rd person." This person was seen by a doctor yesterday, the
bioassay of chikungunya was immediately performed, and the result was
positive last night.

"We have already carried out anti-mosquito spraying in Farino and in
the neighborhood of Valleedes-Settlers in Noumea," said Dr Grangeon.
"But it is important that tomorrow (today) everyone cleans his garden
and his house, as there is more than one breeding site" in the area.

From this morning, repellents will be distributed to all physicians
in Noumea. "If a patient has fever, he must immediately apply insect
repellant to himself and his family," said Dr Grangeon. The repellent
will, of course, not the bring the fever down, but will prevent the
rapid spread of chikungunya by the mosquito _Aedes aegypti_. The virus
can be present in the blood for 5 to 7 days.

"Patients with a fever should be seen immediately," said Dr Grangeon.
Sudden fever and joint pain in the extremities (wrists, ankles,
knuckles) are the 1st symptoms. They strongly resemble those of
dengue, but the consequences can be far more serious because we have
no immunity to chikungunya [virus].

In 2006, the island of Reunion faced a massive outbreak of
chikungunya, for which it was unprepared. There was a small wave in
late 2005, then a flood in February 2006, with 42 000 estimated new
cases per week, the worst of the epidemic. According to data from the
National Institute of Health Surveillance (INVS), 266 000 people were
infected, more than a 3rd of the population. 246 patients were under
hospital treatment in intensive care. Between January 2006 and
December of that year, the French l’Institut de veille sanitaire
[Institute for Public Health Surveillance] reported that chikungunya
had been cited as the cause of death on 252 death certificates.
Three-quarters of the deaths were among people aged over 70 years.

[byline: Berengere Nauleau]

--
communicated by:
ProMED-mail
<promed@promedmail.org>

[The concern about imported chikungunya cases (from Indonesia in this
instance) has turned out to be justified. One hopes that this 1st
locally acquired chikungunya virus infection is not the harbinger of
other cases yet to come.

.../

http://www.promedmail.org/pls/apex/f?p=2400:1001:3753021762617812::NO::F2400_P1001_BACK_PAGE,F2400_P1001_PUB_MAIL_ID:1000,87458

[Ronan Kelly]

Re: Chikungunya case confirmed in New Caledonia

French to English translation
Chikungunya: 17 cases in New Caledonia, Polynesia takes preventive measures



Wednesday morning, the services of the country and the state met to review progress on measures to be taken to prevent spread of chikungunya virus in Polynesia. For now, the epidemic has not yet been declared in New Caledonia, but the occurrence of an event outside of Noumea suggests that the virus spreads. Although no cases have been reported in French Polynesia, the country enters a state of health monitoring and includes measures on flights between Noumea and Tahiti.D?s Thursday, flyers of information published by the Department of Health will be distributed to passengers coming from Noumea (Calin Air flight arrival scheduled for Thursday at 16.30), the time was too short to route them to New Caledonia. These brochures will indicate to travelers who need to alert symptoms: sudden onset of high fever above 38.5 ? C, associated with headache, muscle aches and joint major involving the extremities. Posters will also be placed in strategic points of Faa'a airport. Finally, a spray of insecticide will be carried on board aircraft departing Air Caledonie Noumea. A note sent to remind health professionals to behave if patients come to them with symptoms of chikungunya (more or less similar to those of dengue). 17 cases of chikungunya have been reported since March in the vicinity of Noumea. The appearance of new cases concerned authorities in New Caledonia, which have strengthened the fight against mosquitoes.

...

http://www.tahiti-infos.com/Chikungunya-17-cas-en-Nouvelle-Caledonie-la-Polynesie-prend-des-mesures-preventives_a23233.html