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WHO warns of global chikungunya comeback amid surging 2025 outbreaks
A female mosquito is seen on the forearm of a health technician in a laboratory at the entomology department of the Ministry of Public Health in Guatemala City. File image/ Reuters
The World Health Organization issued an urgent call to action on Tuesday to prevent a recurrence of the mosquito-borne chikungunya virus epidemic that swept the globe two decades ago, as fresh outbreaks related to the Indian Ocean region spread to Europe and other continents.
Diana Rojas Alvarez, a medical official at the WHO, told reporters in Geneva that an estimated 5.6 billion people reside in regions of 119 nations where the virus can cause high fever, joint discomfort, and long-term impairment.
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'We are seeing history repeating itself,' she said, drawing parallels to the 2004-2005 epidemic, which affected nearly half a million people, primarily in small island territories, before spreading around the world.
The latest surge began in early 2025, with severe outbreaks in the same Indian Ocean islands that had previously been affected, notably La Reunion, Mayotte, and Mauritius.
Rojas Alvarez estimates that one-third of La Reunion's population has already been affected. The virus is already moving to Madagascar, Somalia, and Kenya, and it has caused epidemic transmission in Southeast Asia, including India.
The rising number of imported cases, as well as recent local transmission inside Europe, are particularly concerning.
Rojas Alvarez reported that there have been approximately 800 imported chikungunya cases in continental France since May 1.
Twelve local transmission episodes have been detected in several southern French regions, meaning individuals were infected by local mosquitoes without having travelled to endemic areas. A case was also detected last week in Italy.
Chikungunya, for which there is no specific treatment and which is spread primarily by Aedes mosquito species, including the 'tiger mosquito' which also transmits dengue, and Zika, can cause rapid and large outbreaks. As the mosquitoes bite in the daytime, prevention is key, through the use of insect repellent and long-sleeved clothing.
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