ADDIS ABABA, Sept. 3 (Xinhua) -- Ethiopia announced on Tuesday that the number of its nationals infected by a Chikungunya disease outbreak has reached 20,000.
In a press statement, the Ethiopia Public Health Institute (EPHI), said although Ethiopia has conducted an extensive anti-Chikungunya spray campaign in the disease's epicenter, the eastern city of Dire Dawa, there was still a spike in the number of Chikungunya sufferers.
On Thursday EPHI had disclosed 15, 192 Ethiopians had been infected by Chikungunya disease outbreak.
According to EPHI, Chikungunya is a viral disease transmitted to humans by infected mosquitoes. It causes fever and sever joint pain. It is rarely fatal, and symptoms are generally self-limiting and last two to three days.
EPHI has disclosed so far there has been no recorded cases of fatalities despite the high number of Chikungunya infections in a relatively short period of time.
The institute is currently undertaking house to house spray campaigns, societal awareness campaign and free medical tests in Chikungunya-affected areas of Ethiopia.
Chikungunya, which has similar clinical signs with dengue cases, has recently affected Ethiopia's Somali, Afar, Southern regional states as well as the Dire Dawa city council.
