Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss is visiting Kerala [Images] on Friday to assess the situation following the outbreak of Chikungunya which has claimed 81 lives in the state."I am going to Kerala to take first hand information about the situation," Ramadoss said in New Delhi on Thursday after holding a meeting of four dengue-afflicted states.
Ramadoss, who didn't confirm the number of deaths in Kerala due to Chikungunya, said the ministry would be conducting a "verbal autopsy" in each death to find the exact cause into the deaths.
"We will be carrying out verbal autopsy into each deaths. We will carry out a scientific study, before confirming the deaths," he said.
A five-member team, including members from the National Institute of Communicable Diseases and the National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme, is already in Kerala to assess the situation.
Chikungunya, which is spread by the Aedes mosquito, which also spreads dengue, has come to India after over 30 years and has been reported in 10 states. So far 285,000 chkungunya cases have been reported in the country.
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