The number of cases of the mosquito borne viral disease, chikungunya, has doubled in recent months as the virus reaches the entire south-southeast of the country. The Yucatan Times puts the case count at 3,306 cases of the virus in 16 states, up from 1,436 in 10 states less than two months ago.

Image/CIA
Image/CIA

As of week 30, or July 31, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) had the number of cases at 2,646 (all laboratory confirmed)

SPISE.com reported last week (computer translated) that Guerrero state has reported well over 1,000 cases, followed by Oaxaca and Chiapas.

Chikungunya is a viral disease transmitted by the bite of infected mosquitoes such as Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus. It can cause high fever, join and muscle pain, and headache. Chikungunya does not often result in death, but the joint pain may last for months or years and may become a cause of chronic pain and disability.

There is no specific treatment for chikungunya infection, nor any vaccine to prevent it. Pending the development of a new vaccine, the only effective means of prevention is to protect individuals against mosquito bites.

In addition, Mexico has seen more than 55,000 dengue fever cases, also transmitted by the Aedes mosquito, and 10 fatalities during the first half of the year.

Related news:

Plague strikes Colorado for the 3rd time this year

Puebla, Mexico fresh cilantro ‘suspect’ in Texas cyclospora outbreak and Wisconsin cluster

Rabies strain, never before identified, detected in New Mexico fox