Brazil: Chikungunya in Rio de Janeiro state

Event

Transmission rates for the mosquito-borne disease chikungunya are high in the state of Rio de Janeiro. In the first quarter of 2018, a total of 4262 cases were reported, including 854 in the city of Rio. This is nearly three times the rate reported in the state in the first quarter of 2017 (1585). The worst-hit areas include the western Rio suburbs of Campo Grande, Guaratiba, and Santa Cruz.

Context

Symptoms of chikungunya 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 vaccine for the virus is currently available.

It should be noted that various other mosquito-borne diseases are present in Brazil, including dengue fever, yellow fever, and the Zika virus.

Advice

Individuals present in Rio de Janeiro, and Brazil more generally, advised to take measures to protect themselves from mosquito bites (e.g. by wearing covering clothing, using insect repellent, and sleeping in screened-in or air conditioned rooms).