China reports over 7,000 Chikungunya cases, US CDC issues travel warning: Know what is Chikungunya, its symptoms

The Chikungunya virus is, however, a rarity in China and the outbreaks are more common in South and South East Asia and parts of Africa. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a warning for travellers due to the mosquito-borne virus being transmitted in parts of southeast China.

What is Chikungunya

The Chikungunya disease is caused by the Chikungunya virus which spreads through infected female mosquitoes, most commonly the subspecies Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus, which are the same type of mosquitoes that spread Zika and Dengue virus.

Chikungunya outbreaks have occurred in countries in Africa, Americas, Asia, Europe, the Caribbean, and Indian and Pacific Oceans. In a troublesome update by the US CDC, there is no specific treatment for chikungunya.

When a mosquito feeds on an infected person, it ingests the virus and can transmit it to other humans. The onset of the virus is usually four to eight days after the infected mosquito bites the person. People with risk of more severe disease include newborns infected around the time of birth, older adults (65 years or older), and people with medical conditions such as diabetes or heart disease.

Symptoms of Chikungunya

Those infected with Chikungunya virus typically show symptoms 3-7 days after a bite by an infected mosquito. The most common symptoms are fever and joint pain. According to WHO, Chikungunya virus can also cause muscle pain, headaches, nausea and rashes.

The CDC says most people get better within a week’s time but some can have severe joint pain for months to years following acute illness.