Authorities reported on Tuesday that a person in New York has tested positive for the chikungunya virus, marking the first locally transmitted case in the U.S. since 2019.
The New York Department of Health noted that the virus is currently prevalent in China and nearby regions. The infected individual resides in Nassau County on Long Island.
According to the Nassau County Health Department, the person began showing symptoms in August after traveling within the U.S., although they did not go abroad.
While the exact way the virus was contracted remains uncertain, health officials suspect the individual was bitten by a mosquito carrying the virus.
In late September, a 60-year-old woman from Nassau County also tested positive for the virus, despite no international travel. It’s unclear if she is the same person reported by health officials.
State officials reported that the disease is rarely lethal, with most patients recovering fully within a week. However, certain groups, like newborns, the elderly, and those with chronic health issues, are at greater risk.
The country had recorded three chikungunya cases earlier this year, which were linked to international travel to areas where the virus is common.
As of now, no chikungunya virus has been found in local mosquito populations, and health officials state that there are no signs of an outbreak.
Nevertheless, the mosquitoes responsible for spreading the virus, Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus, are present in both the New York City metropolitan area and parts of Long Island. They can also transmit other serious diseases, including West Nile virus and Eastern equine encephalitis.
Fortunately, chikungunya does not spread from person to person. State Health Commissioner James McDonald remarked that the risk of transmission is currently “very low,” especially as cooler weather has made mosquitoes less active.
Chikungunya, which was last identified locally four years ago, usually takes hold in tropical and subtropical areas. Symptoms typically include fever, joint pain, headache, and rash, as outlined by the state health department.
