First Imported Chikungunya Fever Case Confirmed in Russia Amid Rising Global Concerns

Russia has reported its first imported case of chikungunya, a disease transmitted by mosquitoes, according to the consumer protection agency Rospotrebnadzor, which announced the news on Friday.

The individual, who returned to Moscow after a ten-day trip to Sri Lanka, was initially hospitalized with a suspicion of dengue fever but subsequently tested positive for chikungunya, as stated by the agency.

Chikungunya is associated with fever and intense joint pain, which can be debilitating and, in some cases, lethal. The virus is spread by Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus mosquitoes, the same species responsible for transmitting dengue fever. With global warming, the tiger mosquito’s range is moving northward.

Rospotrebnadzor reassured the public that the virus is unlikely to spread within Russia, as it cannot be transmitted from person to person.

«The current population of mosquitoes that transmit fever in Russia does not constitute an epidemiological risk,» the agency affirmed in a statement.

The tiger mosquito has now established itself in 16 European nations and 369 regions, a significant increase from 114 regions a decade ago, according to the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC). This year alone, Europe has seen 27 chikungunya outbreaks, including its first locally acquired case in the Alsace region of France.

The World Health Organization has warned of a potential global resurgence of chikungunya reminiscent of the epidemic of 2004-2005, which infected nearly half a million people. They recommend preventive measures such as using insect repellent and eliminating stagnant water to impede mosquito breeding.

Additionally, nearly 8,000 cases were reported in southern China from late July to early August, leading to the implementation of containment strategies by local authorities.

Reporting contributed by AFP.