Officials with the World Health Organization are alerting the public to a potential revival of epidemic proportions. New reports show the chikungunya virus is spreading outside of its typical distribution, according to Reuters.
What’s happening?
Chikungunya is a virus that was first identified in the United Republic of Tanzania in 1952. Since then, it’s emerged across Africa and Asia, particularly in the Indian Ocean region. It’s spread by mosquitoes, most commonly by the species Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus. Once bitten, an infected person can expect to experience fever and severe joint pain.
Right now, an estimated 5.6 billion people across 119 countries are at risk of contracting the virus as it spreads to Europe and other continents, per Reuters. WHO officials are concerned that the pattern is similar to an epidemic of the disease that happened between 2004 and 2005 and impacted nearly half a million people.
“We are seeing history repeating itself,” said Diana Rojas Alvarez, a medical officer at the WHO, per Reuters.
Why are mosquito-borne illnesses important?
According to the WHO, mosquitoes are the most common vector of disease. Illnesses such as chikungunya, malaria, and West Nile cause nearly 800,000 deaths each year worldwide.
Humans are more likely to be infected where mosquitoes thrive in warm, wet climates. With global temperatures on the rise, the insect’s habitat is expanding.
What’s being done about mosquito-borne illnesses?
There are no medicines currently known to treat chikungunya, though two types of vaccines are available in the United States and acetaminophen or paracetamol can alleviate symptoms, per the CDC. With this, as with many mosquito-borne illnesses, prevention is key.
Mosquito-borne illnesses are easily preventable by controlling the insect population and preventing them from breeding. In California, vector district officials are working to sterilize male mosquitoes in an effort to control populations. Scientists in Burkina Faso have developed a mosquito-killing fungus to be introduced to the insects during mating.
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