(AGENPARL) - Roma, 11 Agosto 2025 - (AGENPARL) – Mon 11 August 2025 No images? Click here https://hq_who_departmentofcommunications.cmail19.com/t/d-e-gltgiy-iitylyihjr-k/
Monday, 11 August 2025
MEDIA ADVISORY
Chikungunya Q&A [https://www.who.int/news-room/questions-and-answers/item/chikungunya]
There is a global resurgence of chikungunya that started with increasing trends in Indian Ocean islands in March, with la Réunion, Mayotte and Mauritius having reported major chikungunya outbreaks. These outbreaks have spread further to countries in South and East Asia. This further spread mirrors trends seen 20 years ago when a major outbreak began in the Indian Ocean before spreading globally and affecting nearly half a million people.
The spread of Chikungunya also continues in endemic countries like in the Americas, where over 200 000 cases have been reported this year already.
Chikungunya is a mosquito-borne viral disease that causes fever and severe joint pain. The virus is carried by Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus (or tiger) mosquitoes, which mainly bite during daylight hours.
Chikungunya has been detected and transmitted in 119 countries globally, either currently or at some point in the past. Recent estimates suggest that 5.6 billion people live in areas suitable for the spread of diseases carried by the Aedes mosquito including chikungunya, dengue and Zika. In places where people have little or no immunity, it can cause rapid, large outbreaks, infecting up to three-quarters of the population and putting intense pressure on healthcare systems.
WHO has published a new Q&A with information for the public on the disease, how it spreads, its symptoms, treatment, prevention and more: Chikungunya Q&A [https://www.who.int/news-room/questions-and-answers/item/chikungunya].
See also: WHO’s work on chikungunya [https://www.who.int/health-topics/chikungunya#tab=tab_1], fact sheet on chikungunya [https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/chikungunya]
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