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Dona Ganguly, acclaimed Odissi dancer and wife of BCCI president Sourav Ganguly, has reportedly been hospitalised in Kolkata after being infected by chikungunya virus, which can be transmitted to humans through the bites of mosquitoes.
According to media reports, she had cough and throat pain for the last four days. After her condition aggravated on Tuesday night, she was rushed to a city-based hospital, where chikungunya infection was confirmed.
Speaking to media persons, Ganguly's elder brother, Snehasish Ganguly, stated that her condition is stable now and the entire family was with her. Sourav Ganguly, the former Indian cricket team captain, was also present the hospital.
While fever and joint pain are the most common symptoms associated with Chikungunya fever, patients with the viral disease may also experience other symptoms such as muscle pain, joint swelling, headache, nausea, fatigue and rash. Usually, these symptoms appear 4 to 8 days after bitten by an infected mosquito(commonly Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus mosquitoes), but they can also present anywhere from 2 to 12 days.
While serious complications are rare, severe cases can result in long-term symptoms and even death, especially among the elderly. However, in most cases, deaths from chikungunya are related to other existing health problems.
Unfortunately, there is no vaccine for prevention of chikungunya or specific drug for its treatment. The treatment focuses on relieving the disease symptoms. But once infected with chikungunya, you are likely to become immune for life, meaning the antibodies against virus can last for a lifetime. The viral disease is most common in Africa, Asia and the Indian subcontinent.