The number of travel associated chikungunya cases continue to be seen weekly in Florida. During the past week, seventeen cases of chikungunya fever were reported this week in persons that had international travel. This brings the total imported cases in 2014 to 350.
Earlier in the year, the majority of travel associated chikungunya cases were due to travel to Haiti and the Dominican Republic. However, increasing numbers of travelers with chikungunya being diagnosed in Florida have been from Puerto Rico and Jamaica in recent weeks and months.
This past week, of the 350 total cases, 84 were linked to travel to Puerto Rico, accounting for 24 percent of the cases. Compare this to the week ending Sept. 6 when Florida reported 201 cases, in which Puerto Rico accounted for 20 cases, or 9%.
31 travel associated cases in Florida are linked to travel to Jamaica, while 2 months ago, there were none.
This seems to coincide with increasing numbers of locally acquired chikungunya cases on the two island nations.
According to the Nov. 7 Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) report, Puerto Rico has seen well over 15,000 autochthonous chikungunya cases while Jamaica has seen nearly 1,000.
In 2014, a total of eleven cases of locally acquired chikungunya fever have been reported. One case of chikungunya fever with onset in July was acquired in Broward County. Two cases of chikungunya fever with onset in June were acquired in Miami-Dade County. Four cases of chikungunya fever with onset in July were acquired in Palm Beach County. Four cases of chikungunya fever with onset in July and August were acquired in St. Lucie County.
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