CDC WARNS AMERICAN TRAVELERS OF DANGERS FROM UNCURABLE MOSQUITO VIRUS, CHIKUNGUNYA
If you didn’t already know, one of the world’s deadliest animals to humans is the mosquito. Mosquitos kill somewhere between 700,000-1,000,000 people every year. And while many of us get bitten by these annoying (deadly) creatures every year, it’s what’s in the bites that’s dangerous. The deaths are from bite-delivered malaria, dengue, Zika and West Nile virus. And these diseases affect hundreds of millions of people annually, with children the most vulnerable. But now there’s a new, uncurable mosquito virus, and US travelers have now ben officially warned of the dangers.
CURRENT CHIKUNGUNYA OUTBREAKS IN CUBA, BANGLADESH, SRI LANKA, SOUTHERN CHINA
It’s called chikungunya, and mosquitos are the delivery system. Currently, there are 4 travel destinations that have outbreaks, and Americans thinking of going there need to be prepared. So if you are thinking of going to Cuba, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, or southern China, you need to know what could be waiting for you in the form of mosquito bite misery. Other countries where chikungunya is a higher risk are Brazil, Colombia, India, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan, the Philippines, and Thailand.
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CHIKUNGUNYA ISN’T FATAL, BUT IS DANGEROUS FOR NEWBORNS; THE VACCINE IS ADVISABLE
Fortunately, chikungunya isn’t fatal. If mosquitos carrying it bite you, it will show up 3-7 days afterward, with symptoms that include fever, joint pain, headaches, muscle aches, swelling, and rash. But pregnant women face greater risks, as the virus can move on to newborns with much greater dangers. But while we can’t stop mosquitos from biting us and we can’t cure chikungunya, we can prevent it. Obviously, don’t travel to any country where it’s a risk is a safe bet. But if you do, there is a vaccine to protect you, which seems like an obvious choice to make before you go.
