The chikungunya virus is spreading rapidly, the World Health Organization has warned.
The virus, spread primarily by the Aedes mosquito, is most common in Asia and Africa. A worldwide epidemic in 2004-2005 occurred when nearly half a million people were infected, the Daily Mail reported.
The virus can cause symptoms such as fever and joint pain and life-threatening complications related to the heart and brain, the Daily Mail reported. To avoid the virus, people should use inspect repellent and wear long-sleeve shirts to prevent mosquito bites, experts told the Daily Mail.
Outbreaks have occurred on the islands of La Reunion, Mayotte, and Mauritius, and the virus has killed 80 people in 14 countries since the beginning of the year, according to the Daily Mail.
The virus has also spread to Madagascar, Somalia, Kenya, and India, the Daily Mail reported. Cases have also been reported in France and Italy.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has issued an elevated risk of exposure notice for the virus for Americans visiting Brazil, Colombia, India, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan, the Philippines, and Thailand.
About 200 cases of the virus were reported in 2024 in the United States, the Daily Mail said.
In late 2023, the Food and Drug Administration approved a vaccine for chikungunya for people over the age of 18 who are at increased risk of exposure to the virus, known as IXCHIQ, the Daily Mail reported.
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