Daily Brief: 2017.2.17
THREAT ANALYSIS
Chikungunya Case Update
A new report released by the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) has revealed 126 new suspected, confirmed, and imported cases of chikungunya. The total number of chikungunya cases for 2017 is now said to be 708.
(Sources: PAHO, CIDRAP)
Most of the new cases were documented in Colombia, Peru, and Venezuela. Columbia reported 31 new cases, bringing the country’s total to 137. Peru added 50 more cases to reach 148 and Venezuela had 12 new cases to reach 23. Since the outbreak began in late 2013, on the Caribbean island of St. Martin, approximately 2,380,738 cases have been documented.
(Source: PAHO, CIDRAP)
Chikungunya is a viral disease transmitted by the bite of infected mosquitoes such as Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus. The most common symptoms of chikungunya virus infection are fever and joint pain. Other symptoms may include headache, muscle pain, joint swelling, or rash. The main differences between Zika virus and chikungunya symptoms is the intensity to which individuals experience fever and joint pain. Chikungunya usually presents with higher fever and more intense joint pain.
(Sources: CDC, PAHO)
ACTION STEPS
- Individuals traveling to areas where Zika, dengue and chikungunya are known to be present should take appropriate preventative measures such as wearing long sleeve clothing and insect repellant.
- Healthcare professionals who are treating mosquito-borne infections should avoid the use of aspirin and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) until dengue can be ruled out to reduce the risk of hemorrhage.
- People infected with Zika, chikungunya, or dengue virus should be protected from further mosquito exposure during the first few days to reduce the risk of further transmission.
(Source: CDC)