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The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) reported a 98 percent increase in chikungunya cases in 2022 in the Region of the Americas in 2022, according to a epidemiological alert published yesterday.

Image/CDC

In 2022, a total of 271,176 cases of chikungunya, including 95 deaths, were reported in 13 of the countries and territories of the Region of the Americas. This compares with the 137,025 cases, including 12 deaths seen in 2021.

PAHO also notes the first weeks of 2023 have seen this trend continuing with the increase in cases and deaths becoming more evident.

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This is most evident in Paraguay, which according to the PAHO data, has reported 15,909 confirmed cases, including 15 deaths (and more than 40,000 total cases) through the first five weeks of the year. Paraguay reported eight total cases during the same period in 2022.

 

PAHO says it is very important for the entire southern hemisphere to be extremely vigilant and prepared
to intensify prevention and control actions in the face of any increase in cases of arbovirus in this first half of 2023 and especially chikungunya, given the number of susceptible people since it has been eight years since the 2014 epidemic, the last major outbreak of chikungunya in the Americas.

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Paraguay health officials say the patient with Chikungunya or CHIKV, in the first phase of the disease (during the first 3 weeks) presents a sudden onset of high fever and intense joint pain, symptoms that may be accompanied by headache, muscle pain, swelling of the joints or skin rash.

During the chronic phase (from the fourth month), it can include fatigue, more intense muscle pain, followed by nausea and rashes.

The transmission stage of the disease extends from 7 to 12 days.

Chikungunya in Paraguay: 11,000 cases reported in last 3 weeks, 14 deaths