According to reports, a Long Island woman tested positive for the mosquito-borne chikungunya virus illness in September. A New York Department of Health spokesperson said the department is now “investigating a possible locally acquired case of chikungunya virus.”
However, the spokesperson added, “No locally acquired cases have ever been reported in New York State, and the risk to the public remains very low.”
It should be noted that the woman said she had not traveled as of late, suggesting she would have contracted it locally.
The virus itself is described by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as a virus contracted by a mosquito bite, hallmarked by fever and pain in the joints. Other symptoms include “headache, muscle pain, joint swelling, or rash,” per the CDC.
The CDC notes, “Outbreaks have occurred in Africa, the Americas, Asia, Europe, and islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. There is a risk the virus can spread to unaffected areas by infected travelers.”
It adds that the “best way to prevent chikungunya is to protect yourself from mosquito bites.”
The Daily Mail emphasized that the virus itself is not spread through bodily contact or saliva. It is only transmitted through a mosquito carrying the virus. It adds:
Since there is no specific medical treatment for the chikungunya infections, though certain therapies are used to manage symptoms and any lasting complications, experts ask people to regularly use insect repellents and wear long-sleeved clothing to prevent mosquito bites.
The CDC also states, “If infected, people can spread the virus to mosquitoes and rarely to other people.” In other words, the biggest risk is those infected transmitting the virus to mosquitoes, which can then spread it to other people.
An outbreak of the virus said to total over 10,000 cases triggered restrictions in China, including quarantine. The Daily Mail reported that the CCP also cut off electricity “to residents who did not follow government health protocols.”
The outlet adds that a “handful” of cases occur in the United States every year.
Again, the CDC emphasized that the virus is not transmissible person to person: “The virus is not spread from person-to-person and is not spread through coughing, sneezing, or touching.”
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