Chikungunya risk continues to increase in the Americas

The current epidemic of chikungunya fever continues to spread in the Americas.

Countries with active transmission of the virus include:

• Dominican Republic (416,135 cases), French Guiana, Guadeloupe (73,120 cases), Martinique (55,920 cases), Puerto Rico, St Barthelemy, St Martin, Barbados, U.S. Virgin Islands, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, Guyana, El Salvador (more than 6,000 cases), Panama, and Venezuela.

Countries with imported cases with little or no local transmission include:

• Brazil (Amapa state), Costa Rica, Anguilla, Cayman Islands, Cuba, Curaçao, Suriname, Turks & Caicos, France, Germany, Italy, Nicaragua, Uruguay, USA (many states have reported imported cases, but only Florida has reported limited local transmission).

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. There may be many more cases in the community that are not reported. Chikungunya virus infections may have long lasting health consequences.