'The risk is real': France sees rise in cases of chikungunya fever
cas autochtones
' - or locally-transmitted cases of the disease, found in people who have not travelled to an area where the infection is common, out of 761 total cases.
Doctors in France have warned of the risks of the virus, which causes fever and joint point and can in rare cases lead to more serious complications. Deaths are rare in countries that have access to good healthcare facilities.
Chikungunya is generally described as a tropical disease and is common in Africa, Asia, the Caribbean and the Pacific Islands.
It can, however, be spread by the bite of tiger mosquito - an Asian import that is now commonly found throughout southern and central France, and as far north as Paris.
READ ALSO
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MAP: Tiger mosquitoes reach northern France✎
The French Indian Ocean island of La Réunion is currently in the grip of a chikungunya epidemic that has caused 200,000 cases of the virus and 20 deaths since the start of the year.
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Experts at the public health body Santé Public France say that while most of the cases in mainland France are in people who have recently travelled to La Réunion - or other areas where chikungunya is common - a rising number of cases are being diagnosed in people who have not recently left France.
Cases have been recorded in Corsica and the southern Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region before, but this year has also seen a case in the cooler, northern region of Grand Est.
Anna-Bella Failloux, an entomologist at the Institut Pasteur,
told France Info
: "Such an early start to the mosquito's activity season and such a high number of cases had never been observed before.
"We didn't expect to detect a locally transmitted case in the Grand Est."
Eric d'Ortenzio, an epidemiologist at the Inserm institute, added: "The risk is real.
"We need to monitor the situation and tell the population to protect themselves, by using mosquito repellents - the only means of preventing this disease."
Since May 1st, Santé Publique France has been tracking cases of the virus, especially those that are the result of local transmission.
"For the time being, the situation is not worrying, but we must remain vigilant," said Anna-Bella Failloux.
What is chikungunya and how to protect against it?
The virus is spread by the bites of infected mosquitoes, especially the tiger mosquito.
Symptoms
start four to eight days after the bite
and include fever, joint and muscle pain, headache, nausea and fatigue. Most people will recover without treatment within a week, but complications can occur, especially in people who have ongoing health conditions.
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There is no specific treatment for chikungunya. A vaccine does exist, but it has been linked with various side effects, and as a result French health authorities are no longer recommending it for the general population - anyone in a high-risk group should speak to their doctor.
The best way to prevent it is to avoid mosquito bites by wearing mosquito repellent during the summer months - tiger mosquitoes (the smaller, black and white striped ones) are active throughout the day. They are found in almost all of France apart from the northern coast.
READ ALSO
:
How to prevent the spread of tiger mosquitoes in France✎
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