Island epidemic claims 77

2006-02-23 14:16

Paris - A mosquito-borne disease has been responsible for killing 77 people on France's Indian Ocean island of La Reunion, says French health minister Xavier Bertrand on Thursday.

"Chikungunya" fever, for which there was no known cure or vaccine, had affected about 130 000 people on the island, off the southeast coast of Africa. Bertrand said that was 20 000 more than a week ago.

About one in six inhabitants had now been affected on La Reunion, which had a total population of 775&nbap;000 people.

Bertrand said: "The last numbers ... refer to 77 deaths, directly or indirectly attributable to the epidemic for the month of January.

Scientific research

According to Bertrand: "This is a radically new situation, which was not expected because scientific research showed that Chikungunya didn't kill."

The illness, which had also travelled to the nearby Indian Ocean islands of the Seychelles and Mauritius, was marked by high fever and severe rashes. Most people recovered although it was extremely painful.

First recognised in East Africa in 1952, it also left the immune system weak, proving opportunities for other diseases to set in.

The name Chikungunya came from the Swahili for stooped walk, referring to the posture of those afflicted.

European travellers

French Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin, who was to travel to La Reunion on Sunday, said the entire island should be ridden of mosquitoes to stop the disease from spreading.

Villepin said it was still safe to visit the island, which was a popular tourist destination for European travellers.

The Reunion Committee on Tourism has reported tour cancellations, but had not provided figures for costs incurred.

Villepin said: "You can certainly go there. The proof is that I'm going there. You have to take some precautions and use certain products."

Authorities said people should remove stagnant water, use mosquito repellents and bed nets and spray bedrooms at night.

- Reuters