Toll 2500 since May, Gujarat faces epidemic

In Maninagar, at least 5,000 suspected cases have been reported. There are more than 1,000 cases in Nikol alone, said Congress leader Praful Thakkar, adding that there were more than 20,000 cases in eastern areas.

However, Gautam, after the meeting with the Health Minister, said there are around 2,500 chikungunya cases and around 10,000 cases of fever in the city, including in recently merged areas.

He, however, admitted that it was a ‘‘conservative figure’’ and that the ‘‘real figure would emerge in a day or two.’’

Unfortunately, AMC administration has still not been able to get case data from private hospitals.

Gautam blamed incessant rain and waterlogging in various areas for the spread of the disease. “Continues rain caused waterlogging in most areas where the disease is spreading now,” he said.

However, the administration has to take the blame as well for it did little. The first chikungunya case was reported in May but AMC health officials kept denying it till last week.

Whenever asked, AMC Health Officer Dr S P Kulkarni and Deputy Commissioner (Health) D B Makwana would say: ‘‘There are only a few cases of fever and seasonal infections.’’

Even V S Hospital officials had pushed the issue to the backburner.

But on Thursday, Medical Superintendent M H Makwana said 50 per cent of the total cases coming to the hospital are of chikungunya which and this is a ‘‘widespread epidemic.’’ A doctor at V S Hospital said the civic body ‘‘failed to contain the disease as it never acknowledged it.”