October 15, 2010 Asia & Indian Ocean -Chikungunya Fever

Chikungunya Fever in Asia and the Indian Ocean
This information is current as of today, October 15, 2010 at 19:26 EDT

Updated: October 14, 2010

Situation Information

Since 2006, parts of Asia and the Indian Ocean region have reported chikungunya fever activity. Several countries have increased surveillance for this disease, and cases continue to be reported throughout this region.
Chikungunya fever is a disease caused by a virus that is spread to people through the bite of infected mosquitoes. Symptoms can include sudden fever, joint pain with or without swelling, chills, headache, nausea, vomiting, lower back pain, and a rash or skin irritation that may be red, itch or spread from one area to another. Chikungunya mainly occurs in areas of Africa and Asia. In 2007, limited transmission of chikungunya virus occurred in Italy.
The following examples highlight some recent chikungunya activity in Asia and the Indian Ocean region:
In 2009, the Ministry of Health in Malaysia reported over 4,430 cases of chikungunya fever.