NewsDesk @bactiman63

The Brazil Ministry of Health reported in it’s June 2022 Epidemiology Bulletin that there were 122,075 probable cases of chikungunya through mid-June this year.

Aedes aegypti/CDC

This is a 94 percent increase compared to the same period in 2021.

The Northeast Region presented the highest incidence (175.7 cases/100 thousand inhabitants), followed by Midwest region (28.8 cases/100 thousand inhab.) and the North (26.6 cases/100 thousand inhab.).

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The municipalities that had the highest recorded probable cases of chikungunya include: Fortaleza/CE, with 10,029 cases (371.0 cases/100 thousand inhab.), Juazeiro do Norte/CE, with 3,748 cases (1,346.9 cases/100 thousand inhab.), Salgueiro/PE, with 3,163 cases (5,138.0 cases/100 thousand inhab.), Palmas/TO, with 3,130 cases (998.9 cases/100 thousand inhab.) and Brejo Santo/CE with 3,081 cases (6,138.1 cases/100 thousand inhab.).

So far 23 deaths have been confirmed in the states, with Ceará concentrating 78.2% (18) of deaths. It is noteworthy that 50 deaths are under investigation in the country.

Chikungunya is a viral disease transmitted to humans by infected mosquitoes. It causes fever and severe joint pain, which is often debilitating. Other symptoms include muscle pain, headache, nausea, fatigue, and rash.

The disease shares some clinical signs with dengue and Zika, and can be misdiagnosed in areas where they are common. As there is no cure, treatment is focused on relieving the symptoms.