New York well being officers affirm state’s first domestically acquired case of chikungunya virus

MINEOLA, N.Y. — An individual dwelling in New York has examined optimistic for the chikungunya virus in what state well being officers say is the primary reported transmission of the mosquito-borne sickness inside the US in six years

The state Division of Well being mentioned Tuesday that the virus, which has been spreading in China and elsewhere, was recognized in an individual dwelling in Nassau County on Lengthy Island.

The county’s well being division, in a separate assertion, mentioned the individual started experiencing signs in August after having traveled exterior of the area, however not overseas.

It’s not clear how precisely the individual, whom authorities haven’t named, contracted the virus.

Well being officers say the individual was possible bit by an contaminated mosquito, however additionally they say the virus has not been detected in native mosquito swimming pools and there’s no proof of ongoing transmission.

The kind of mosquito identified to hold chikungunya is current in components of the New York Metropolis metropolitan space, together with suburban Lengthy Island. The illness can’t be unfold straight from one individual to a different.

Since mosquitoes are much less energetic in the course of the fall’s cooler temperatures, the present danger of transmission is “very low,” mentioned state Well being Commissioner James McDonald.

Chikungunya is discovered largely in tropical and subtropical areas, based on the state well being division. Its signs embody fever and joint ache, headache, muscle ache, joint swelling and rashes.

The sickness is never deadly and most sufferers recuperate inside every week, although newborns, older adults and folks with persistent well being situations resembling hypertension and diabetes are at increased danger, the company mentioned.

The U.S. and its territories haven’t seen a domestically acquired case of the virus since 2019.

New York state has had three different circumstances of the virus this yr, although all have been linked to worldwide journey to areas the place the virus is prevalent, state well being officers mentioned.

Native mosquitoes can transmit different harmful viruses, resembling West Nile, Japanese Equine Encephalitis and Jamestown Canyon viruses.