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“From 2004 to 2005, an important epidemic of Chikungunya swept the Indian Ocean, touching vast populations in small island territories before spreading around the world and touching almost half a million people”said Diana Rojas Alvarez, WHO team chief on the arbovirus.
“Today, WHO observes the same trend emerge: since the beginning of 2025, Reunion, Mayotte and Mauritius have all pointed out important epidemics of Chikungunya. It is estimated that a third of the Reunionese population is already infected ”she explained, during a press briefing in Geneva.
The symptoms of chikungunya are similar to those of dengue and zika virus disease, which makes it difficult to diagnose, according to the WHO.
This virus is transmitted via tiger mosquito bites and causes strong fever and severe joint pain, often disabling and which can last a long time. Mortal cases are rare.
WHO alerts countries and residents
Diana Red Alvarez has noted that “Just like 20 years ago, the virus is now spreading to other countries in the region, such as Madagascar, Somalia and Kenya” and a transmission “Also occurs in South Asia”.
She also recalled that imported cases continue to be reported in Europe, “In connection with the epidemic in the islands of the Indian Ocean, with a local transmission reported in France and suspicious cases detected in Italy”.
“Since these transmission patterns had been observed during the epidemic in 2004, WHO calls for urgent action to prevent history from being repeated”she insisted.
Because although the mortality rate is less than 1 %, this “Can represent thousands of cases when you start from millions of cases”she warned.
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“So we sound the alarm so that countries can prepare to detect quickly and strengthen their capacities to avoid very large epidemics, as is often the case with chikungunya”she said.
WHO also calls on the population to protect themselves, deploring that most people do not use mosquito repellents and let water stagnate in the containers, such as buckets.
Diana Rojas Alvarez explained that in regions where populations have little or no immunity, the virus can cause “Rapid and important epidemics, infecting up to three quarters of the population”.
With AFP
