The Department of Health official on Monday said that the agency is now on alert status as some provinces declared chikungunya outbreak in their areas.

Dr. Eric Tayag, DOH undersecretary and spokesman, said that among the regions that declared outbreak were Ilocos, Cagayan Valley, Metro Manila, Calabarzon, Western Visayas, Northern Mindanao, Davao and CARAGA or the provinces of Agusan del Norte and Sur, Surigao del Norte and Sur, and Dinagat Island. Chikungunya is dengue-like disease.

Tayag also said that the health agency also sent a medical team to Albay to monitor the reported chikungunya cases in the area.

“The chikungunya was first reported in Cagayan de Oro and that was after [Typhoon] Sendong,” Tayag said, adding, “The agency will going to find out the disease pattern.”

“Many went there to help the typhoon victim so it is possible they got bitten by mosquitoes,” Tayag added.

According to Tayag a total of 600 cases have been recorded in the country this year.

On its part, the World Health Organization chikungunya is a viral disease (genus Alphavirus) which is transmitted to humans by infected mosquitoes—including Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus. The name chikungunya originates from a verb in the Kimakonde language, meaning “to become contorted.” This refers to the “stooped” appearance of those suffering with joint pain.

Meanwhile, the WHO also said that the chikungunya symptoms appear between four and seven days after the patient has been bitten by the infected mosquito and these include high fever, joint pain (lower back, ankle, knees, wrists or phalanges), joint swelling, rash, headache, muscle pain, nausea and fatigue.