France: Spike in cases of chikungunya in southeast August 2017

Event

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), within the first two weeks of August four cases of chikungunya have been confirmed in the municipality of Cannet des Maurse, located in the southeastern department of Var, and an additional nine suspected cases have been reported. The risk of a serious chikungunya outbreak in southern Europe remains low and authorities are currently pursuing measures to prevent the spread of the disease.

Context

According to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), the Aedes albopictus mosquitoe species which carry the virus has been identified in the south of France. Cases of chikungunya had already been reported in the region in 2010.

Chikungunya is a mosquito-borne disease. Symptoms include high fever, joint and muscle pain, rash, headache, nausea, and fatigue. The virus is rarely fatal but lingering joint pain can last for several weeks, even months, after the initial recovery. No treatment or vaccine for the virus is currently available.

Advice

Individuals present in southeastern France - particularly those in the Var department - are advised to take measures to protect themselves from mosquito bites (e.g., wearing covering clothing, using insect repellent, sleeping in a screened-in or air conditioned room) and to eliminate possible mosquito breeding grounds (small pockets of fresh water, such as rain water that has collected in cans, bottles, tires, flower pots, clogged gutters, etc.).