An individual residing in New York has tested positive for the mosquito-borne chikungunya virus, marking the first instance of local transmission in the United States in six years, according to officials on Tuesday.
Currently, the chikungunya virus is spreading rapidly in China and neighboring areas, as reported by the New York Department of Health. The infection has now been confirmed in a resident of Nassau County on Long Island.
The Nassau County Health Department indicated that the individual exhibited symptoms in August following travels outside their local area, though not internationally.
While the exact mode of transmission remains uncertain, health officials believe the individual was most likely bitten by an infected mosquito.
In late September, a 60-year-old woman in Nassau County, who did not travel beyond her local vicinity, had preliminary tests that showed the virus in her bloodstream.
It is unclear whether she is the same individual referenced by the health authorities.
The state agency has pointed out that while the illness is seldom lethal, most patients recover completely within a week.
Typically, groups at higher risk include newborns, elderly individuals, and patients with chronic health issues.
Earlier this year, three additional cases of the virus were reported in the country, but each could be traced back to international travel to areas where chikungunya is common, according to state health officials.
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Health officials have confirmed that the virus has not yet been found in any local mosquito populations, and there is no evidence of an ongoing spread or outbreak.
However, both the Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus mosquitoes, which are known carriers of the virus, inhabit parts of the New York City metropolitan area and Long Island.
These mosquitoes also have the potential to transmit other serious diseases such as the West Nile virus, Eastern equine encephalitis, and Jamestown Canyon virus.
Fortunately, chikungunya cannot be transmitted directly from person to person. State Health Commissioner James McDonald noted that with declining temperatures making mosquitoes less active, the current risk of transmission is “very low.”
Chikungunya, which was last identified locally in 2019, is normally found in tropical and subtropical climates. Symptoms may include fever, joint pain, headaches, muscle aches, swollen joints, and rashes, as per the state health department.
With Post wires
