A serious health warning is now being issued worldwide. The World Health Organization (WHO) was heard early by the rise in the risk of Chikungunya’s world epidemic, a viral disease, which many have almost never heard, but have already infected millions in the past and are now gaining pace.According to Diana Rojas Alvarez, today early warning signs are similar to those that preceded the Chikungunya 2004-2005 explosive outbreak, which rapidly spread from small island countries to large populations around the world. This time the virus makes a strong return on the islands of the Indian Ocean, parts of Africa, South Asia and even parts of Europe.Here’s all we need to know about what this warning means that happens during Chikungunya infection who should be more careful and what steps can really help reduce the risk.
Understanding Chikungunya: Not just another fever
Chikungunya is usually mistaken for dengu or zika with its symptoms that cover, but this happens with its own set of serious problems. This disease is Chikungunya virus, this disease spreads through the bite of infected EEDS and Edessa Albopictus, the same mosquitoes that are known to convey dengu and zika.What distinguishes Chikungunya is the intensity of joint pain that it causes. The word itself comes from Maconda’s language and means “overlapping”, citing an inclined posture of patients with unbearable joints. In most cases, the disease lasts 7-10 days, but in some joint pain it can be delayed for months and even years, mimicking arthritis.
Symptoms: What really happens when infected?
WHO confirms that chikungun’s symptoms usually appear 4 -8 days after the bite. These include:
- A sudden high fever
- Deviling the pain in the joints (especially in the hands and legs)
- Pain in muscle
- Fatigue
- Rash
- Swelling of the joints
In rare cases of eye, heart or neurological complicationsIt remains hidden, it is a long -term load that this disease can place on individuals, especially the elderly, and those who have basic health conditions. The joint pain that is stored for months is not just uncomfortable, it disables.
Who most risks and why it matters now as ever
According to the latest WHO estimate, 5.6 billion people are now at risk. This includes not only tropical regions, but also parts of Europe and Asia, where the so-called tiger mosquito (AEDES Albopictus) is expanding due to climate change.The risk is especially high among:
- Older people who are more prone to long -term joint
- Newborns if infected during delivery
- People with a weakened immune system
- Persons in the densely populated urban areas where mosquito breeding blooms
La Réunion’s latest data believe that almost a third of his population had already been infected only in 2025. With a local transmission that occurs in France and Italy, the virus is no longer a long tropical problem.
As a virus spread: not through contact, but mosquitoes
There are several myths floating around, so let’s clean the air.Chikungunya does not apply from person to person as a cold. It spreads exclusively through the bite of the infected mosquito. These mosquitoes bite during the day, especially in the early morning and late day.After infection, a person may act as a mosquito source for about a week, and when bitten, the mosquito can pass the virus to others. That’s how quickly the spiral flashes.
Prevention: What really works (and that’s not)
In the absence of a vaccine or specific antiviral treatment, prevention is the only powerful shield. Who calls for strong efforts at the level of individual and public level.Here are the main protective strategies:
- Turn off stagnant water: even a small amount in flower pots, buckets or AC trays can become a baby mosquito.
- Use mosquito repellents (containing Deet, Picaridin or Lemon Eucalyptus oil)
- Wear clothes with full, especially in the peak mosquito hours
- Set the mosquito screens on the door and windows
- Fog connections: In areas with high risk authorities can use fog for insecticides to restrain mosquito populations.
However, simple fog is not enough when water containers continue to lie unnoticed. Awareness in society and purity is a real change in games.
Chikungunya Today: Mask Climate Crisis?
There is a growing evidence that associates the revival of mosquito disease, with climate change. Warm temperature and rainfall enlarge propagation sites and survival time for AEDES mosquitoes.In the 2024 report, he warned that the rise in global temperature has pushed the tiger to the north to the mosquito, reaching southern Europe previously intact.This is no longer just a health problem, it is a climate crisis. Health experts urge countries to increase disease observation, invest in early detection systems and prepare health care infrastructure for large -scale outbreaks.(Entry of Agency)(This article is designed only for information purposes and does not replace professional medical advice. Consult a qualified healthcare provider for personal health problems.)
