Virus out of control in Marshalls

MAJURO – The Marshall Islands is reporting over a thousand cases of chikungunya, with the mosquito-borne illness spreading out to numerous remote outer islands.

The outbreak started in February in Majuro with the official number of suspected and confirmed chikungunya cases now at 1046.

RNZI correspondent Giff Johnson says most of the cases are in the capital Majuro where more than 600 people have reported symptoms.

“This mosquito born illness has really spiralled out of control and I’m sure there’s way more then the thousand plus cases that have been pretty much identified but it’s spread out to a number of the remote outer islands.”

Johnson says Ailinglaplap Atoll is reporting nearly 200 cases in a population of under 2,000.

He says supplies from the World Health OrganiSation arrived this month and are ready to be used to tackle and prevent the disease.

Authorities have been spraying for mosquitoes over the past six weeks.