Measures to check the spread of chikungunya fever were on in full swing in the worst-hit Alappuzha in Kerala [Images], even as reports said five more persons died of the viral fever in the district on Sunday, taking the toll since the outbreak of the disease in the state to 86.

National Rural Health Mission Director Dinesh Arora has been appointed head of the Sanitation Drive Action Committee in Cherthala taluk and a special squad had been formed under the hdepartment for anti-mosquito drive in the region, official sources said.

State Director of Health Services Kuttamani said the number of fever cases had come down in Alappuzha district. He expressed the hope that with the action plan being implemented, the disease could be contained soon.

All district medical officers had been allocated required funds for implementing the sanitation drive. The central team comprising experts from WHO, National Institute of Virology and National Institute of Communicable Diseases, who had been camping at Cherthala in the last few days, would submit its report to the Centre on Monday, the sources said.

Meanwhile, a study by an IMA team found that deaths occurred in Alappuzha since early September were not possibly due to chikungunya.

Of the 32 persons who died in Cherthala taluk hospital in September, only one had suspected symptoms of chikungunya.

All others were identifiable cases of death due to heart attack, stroke and respiratory problems, the study found.

The IMA report, which was released by state president C K Chandrasekharan on Sunday, said the organisation would focus on mosquito eradication programme to contain the spread of viral fever.