What’s chikungunya? keep away from debilitating virus whereas on vacation as instances rise in France

Well being officers are warning travellers of a mosquito-borne virus that may trigger debilitating joint ache, after cases emerged in areas of France.

Whereas the virus often known as chikungunya is extra generally present in tropical areas of the world, instances have now been appeared in France, a well-liked vacation vacation spot for Brits, particularly through the summer time months.

This yr to date, France has reported 14 instances of chikungunya virus, on the mainland and the French island of Corsica.

Whereas Europe just isn’t at the moment experiencing a extreme outbreak, well being officers on the continent are making travellers conscious of the virus in addition to the rollout of a brand new vaccine within the UK.

Now we have rounded up what travellers have to know concerning the virus, plus recommendation from a specialist journey physician on methods to finest put together for travelling abroad.

What’s chikungunya and the way is it unfold?

Chikungunya virus illness is a mosquito-borne illness that’s discovered throughout tropical and sub-tropical areas.

It’s unfold to people by a chunk from an contaminated mosquito. It can’t be handed from human to human.

Most instances have been discovered within the Americas, Africa and Asia. Brazil has essentially the most instances, with over 141,000, adopted by Argentina with over 2,500 to date in 2025.

In whole, there have been roughly 220,000 chikungunya instances and 80 associated deaths throughout 14 nations/territories because the starting of the yr.

Réunion and Mayotte, two French islands off the east coast of Africa, have ongoing outbreaks of chikungunya, with the previous recording 51,000 instances as of Could 2025.

Mayotte has seen 560 instances, with the island moved to the epidemic part, which signifies intense and widespread transmission of the virus all through the territory.

The transmission of dengue and chikungunya virus in mainland Europe has been linked by the European Centre for Illness Prevention and Management (ECDC) to travellers who’ve caught the virus outdoors the area, then gone to nations inside Europe with mosquitoes which might be in a position to carry the virus after biting the particular person.

“The chance of domestically acquired chikungunya and dengue virus transmissions is due to this fact rising,” the ECDC stated.

What are the signs?

‘Chikungunya’ comes from a phrase utilized by the Makonde folks in Tanzania, the place the illness was first found within the Nineteen Fifties, which implies “that which bends up”. This describes the contorted posture of contaminated individuals who expertise extreme joint ache.

Alongside joint ache, folks may also expertise an abrupt onset of fever, joint swelling, muscle ache, complications, nausea, fatigue and rashes.

The joint ache may be debilitating and normally lasts for a couple of days, but it surely has been recognized to final for weeks, months and even years.

If an contaminated particular person doesn’t expertise joint ache, the signs shall be gentle and might go unrecognised as chikungunya.

Most individuals will recuperate absolutely from the an infection. There have been some occasional instances of eye, coronary heart, and neurological issues, whereas newborns and older folks with underlying medical situations are at a better threat of extreme illness.

Sufferers with extreme illness ought to be hospitalised due to the chance of organ injury or dying.

As soon as somebody has recovered from chikungunya, they’re more likely to be resistant to future chikungunya infections.

Is there a vaccine?

The UK authorities has permitted a vaccine in opposition to chikungunya illness, containing a type of the virus that has been weakened so it can’t multiply.

The vaccine works by coaching the immune system to recognise the virus, which can then produce particular antibodies to assault it.

It may solely be obtained by way of a prescription and given to those that plan to journey overseas the place the virus is current.

Final month, the federal government launched an extra announcement to say that the Fee on Human Medicines has briefly restricted the usage of the vaccine in folks aged 65 and over as a precautionary measure.

To stop getting bitten by mosquitoes, the World Well being Organisation advises utilizing pesticides; sporting clothes that minimises pores and skin publicity; utilizing window and door screens, and insecticide-treated mosquito nets; and making use of sure repellants to pores and skin and clothes.

A journey physician’s information on being ready

Dr Richard Dawood, a journey medical specialist at Fleet Road Clinic, defined to The Impartial how the vaccination will help travellers stop getting sick from the chikungunya virus.

He stated: “It is a new scenario for us. Till a really quick time in the past, we had no vaccine, and the one strategy to prevention was to make cautious use of insect repellents and bug precautions.

“So now we have got this additional device within the armoury, and since the vaccine provides long-lasting safety, it is one thing that might be thought-about in case you are planning to journey over a time period.

“It is a pretty costly vaccine, but when you are going to be travelling over a interval of years to Southern Europe and past, it could be one thing that might be thought-about.”

When requested about getting the vaccination for a visit to France, Mr Dawood suggested to have a look at the choice when it comes to the place you may be travelling over the subsequent few years moderately than within the context of a single journey.

“The chance from a one-off quick journey to France might be very small,” he stated.

“There’s been solely a really small variety of instances to date. So statistically, you are not very more likely to, however over time, as someone who likes to journey and loves going to scorching nations, then I’d most likely wish to be protected in opposition to it in the long run.”

Wherever you’re travelling, Mr Dawood suggested holidaymakers to “do your homework”.

He stated: “If there’s an precise outbreak at your vacation spot, then I’d say no hesitation, positively have the vaccine.

“Taking a little bit of time and getting some actually targeted journey well being recommendation in your specific journey may be very worthwhile as a result of it may well prevent from getting a vaccine that you do not want or that will not be smart for you, and it may well assist prioritise the actually necessary issues in your journey.

Journey clinics may also provide recommendation on issues like insect chunk precautions and decreasing the chance in different methods, he added.

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