ADDIS ABABA, Sept. 26 (Xinhua) -- An outbreak of Chikungunya disease in Ethiopia has affected 40,340 people, the UN said on Thursday.
In a press statement, the UN World Health Program (UN-WHO), said 40,340 Chikungunya cases, with no deaths have been reported in the eastern Ethiopia city of Dire Dawa in recent weeks.
The press statement however said the number of Chikungunya cases reported daily has decreased from a peak of around 1860 cases previously to 600 cases daily currently, giving hope that the outbreak will be controlled soon.
The UN-WHO lauded Ethiopia's efforts at controlling Chikungunya outbreak using health education, as well as efforts to eliminate larval habitats for the mosquito vectors.
Chikungunya is a viral disease transmitted to humans by infected mosquitoes. It is rarely fatal, and symptoms are generally self-limiting and last two to three days.
Chikungunya, which has similar clinical signs with dengue cases, previously affected Ethiopia's Somali, Afar, and Southern regional states.
Chikungunya can be detected using serological tests and recovery from Chikungunya infection will also confer lifelong immunity.
