Patiala, Nov. 22 -- Punjab is witnessing a sharp rise in chikungunya cases even as allegations of dengue underreporting persist, placing health officials under mounting pressure. The sudden spike in the mosquito-borne infection has emerged as a major public health concern. According to Punjab health department data accessed by HT, the state has already recorded over 495 chikungunya cases, marking the second-worst outbreak since 2017. Last year, Punjab reported only 224 cases. In 2017, the state logged 201 cases, followed by 25 in 2018. The numbers fell to 19 in 2019, and no cases were reported in 2020. However, the count rose again with 144 cases in 2021, 469 in 2022, and a significant jump to 2,072 cases in 2023. This year, Sangrur is the worst affected district with 113 cases, followed by Barnala (104). Patiala, which is simultaneously battling a dengue outbreak, has reported 74 chikungunya cases. Chikungunya is transmitted by Aedes mosquitoes and shares many clinical signs with dengue, making misdiagnosis possible. Experts note that while both diseases have similar symptoms, chikungunya is marked by severe joint pain and joint inflammation, and its effects may persist for three weeks to three months even after treatment. A senior health official said surveillance has significantly improved this year: "We have already tested around 9,500 samples for chikungunya, compared to 1,215 during the same period last year." In October, the Union government issued a notice to Punjab's state nodal officer after a Mansa resident reported that nearly every second household in the district was affected by chikungunya. The complainant alleged poor mosquito-control measures, including lack of fumigation. Meanwhile, several districts face accusations of underreporting both dengue and chikungunya cases. Official data shows Mansa has reported 48 confirmed cases, but only 407 people have been tested. Sangrur has conducted 713 tests and confirmed 113 cases....