The number of autochthonous chikungunya (CHIKV)cases reported in Colombia grew by another 10,000+ cases during the past week as the country total closes in on 300,000 total cases.

Image/CDC
Image/CDC

The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) has reported 1,426,515 suspected and confirmed cases since first seen as a locally transmitted disease in the Caribbean in Dec. 2013.

In North America, with the addition of 156 new confirmed cases, the total cases in Mexico has eclipsed the 1,000 case mark.

In the US, 126 travel associated CHIKV cases have been seen with the most cases being reported from New York (24) and Florida (21). No other states have seen cases in the double-digits.

In the area of chikungunya diagnostics, an assay made by VecTOR Test Systems, Inc. and evaluated by U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases (USAMRIID) in Fort Detrick, Maryland have developed a quick, one-hour test for the mosquito borne virus.

Entomology Today describes the assay as follows:  It’s done with a chemical dipstick, the same kind of simple tool used in a pregnancy test.

More details on the assay can be found the Journal of Medical Entomology.

In Brazil, where dengue fever has skyrocketed to over 3/4 of a million cases in 2015, pressure is becoming heavy for the government, including President Dilma Rousseff as the public anger seethes.

While the Brazilian government has pointed to a massive drought in the country earlier this year, others blame a underfunded and poorly managed universal healthcare system and government corruption.

In Malaysia, the dengue death toll has increased to 130 as of May 9, according to the health ministry. The number of dengue cases across the country is now over 42,000.