Chikungunya Fever Outbreak in Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil

State health authorities are reporting an outbreak of chikungunya fever involving 33 confirmed cases and 54 additional suspected cases. About half of the confirmed cases have occurred in the city of Dourados.

Advice

While the risk of exposure for travellers may vary from place to place, it may be high in some localities.

All travellers to areas where chikungunya fever virus is active can reduce their risk of exposure to this virus by taking all necessary precautions to avoid mosquito bites. Many persons with chikungunya fever do not seek medical care and are not reported to health authorities. This may account for the low numbers of reported cases in many countries. There may be many more cases in the community that are not reported. Chikungunya virus infections may have long lasting health consequences with joint pains lasting almost 2 years after the initial infection.