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Earlier in July, the World Health Organization (WHO) issued an urgent call for action to prevent a chikungunya virus epidemic, which the world faced in 2004-2005.
A worker sprays insecticide in Dongguan, Guangdong Province, in an effort to prevent the spread of the chikungunya virus. Source: Getty / VCG
“We are seeing history repeating itself,” Diana Rojas Alvarez, a medical officer at the WHO, said last month. She warned that 5.6 billion people across 119 countries were at risk.
Here is what you need to know about the chikungunya virus.
What is chikungunya?
The virus has now been identified in over 110 countries in Asia, Africa, Europe and the Americas.
How does the virus spread?
However, it cannot transmit directly from one person to another.
What are the symptoms?
Headache, muscle pain, joint swelling or rash, nausea, and tiredness are among the other symptoms.
Is the chikungunya virus deadly?
However, newborns, people older than 65 years old, and those with medical conditions like “high blood pressure, diabetes, or heart disease” are more at risk of more severe disease, according to the CDC.
Is there any cure?
Healthdirect advises people at risk of infection to avoid mosquito bites by closing windows or covering them with mosquito nets or screens, wearing loose-fitting, light-coloured shirts with long sleeves, long trousers, and enclosed shoes, and avoiding areas where water can accumulate.
