Outbreak of Chikungunya Disease in Dongklang Sub-district, Khon San District, Chaiyaphum Province

Abstract

On July 9, 2023, the Surveillance and Rapid Response Team (SRRT) of Khon San District in Chaiyaphum Province, received a report from Khon San Hospital of a suspected chikungunya case in Village 8, Dong Klang Sub-district. The SRRT team conducted a field investigation from July 10 to 16, 2023, to determine the cause of the outbreak, identify risk factors. This investigation was a descriptive epidemiological study to confirm the diagnosis, examine the spread of disease, and implement prevention and control measures. The results showed that the outbreak was found in three villages within Dong Klang Sub-district, including Villages 4, 7 and 8. The first case developed symptoms on June 22, 2023, including fever, joint pain, rash, and sought care at the Dong Klang Health Clinic. Investigation revealed that the patient worked at a bottled water factory located in Non Sa-at Sub-district, Chum Phae District, Khon Kaen Province, which was already experiencing an outbreak. The index case was confirmed on July 9, 2023, and lived near the first patient. From June to July 2023, a total of 41 chikungunya cases were identified, including 5 confirmed cases. Most patients were female (63.41%), with the highest proportion aged 51–60 years (21.95%). All patients had fever and rash, while 90.24% reported joint pain. The longest duration of joint symptoms was 173 days. A key environmental factor associated with the outbreak was the water containers that served as breeding sites for Aedes larvae, particularly during the rainy season. The larval indices exceeded the standard threshold (set at <5%), indicating a high risk of disease transmission in the affected areas. Control measures followed national vector-borne disease guidelines. Measures included larval source elimination on days 1, 7, 14, 21 and 28, adult mosquito fogging using the 3-3-1 measure, health education, community mobilization, patient monitoring, surveillance and active case finding. Following the implementation of these measures, no further chikungunya cases were identified in the area.