Latest news with #epidemic
Daily Mail
14 hours ago
- Health
- Daily Mail
Experts warn of another global epidemic as rare virus spreads to new areas
The World Health Organization has issued an urgent call for action as cases of chikungunya virus explode across the globe. The chikungunya virus is spread primarily by the Aedes mosquito species and nearly half a million people became infected between 2004 and 2005 - leading to a worldwide epidemic. Chikungunya infections are most common in Asia, Africa and South America though more recently cases have also emerged across Europe and the US. The virus can cause symptoms like fever, joint pain and life-threatening complications related to the heart and brain. The infection does not spread from person to person through bodily contact or saliva and can only be transmitted through a bite from an infected mosquito. Since there is no specific medical treatment for the chikungunya infections, experts are asking people to regularly use insect repellents and wear long-sleeve clothing to prevent mosquito bites this summer Diana Rojas Alvarez, a medical officer at the who said of the new cases: 'We are seeing history repeating itself,' referencing the 2004-2005 epidemic. The current surge began in early 2025, with major outbreaks in the Indian Ocean islands of La Reunion, Mayotte and Mauritius. According to the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control, there have been about 220,000 Chikungunya virus cases and 80 related deaths in 14 countries since the beginning of 2025. An estimated one-third of La Reunion's population - nearly 300,000 people - have already been infected, according to Rojas Alvarez. During the last epidemic, about 266,000 people were infected out of which 203 died on La Reunion. The virus has also spread to Madagascar, Somalia, Kenya and India and is making its way to Europe. There have been approximately 800 imported chikungunya cases in continental France since May 1, Rojas Alvarez said. Out of the 800 cases, 12 of the infected people had been bitten by local mosquitoes without having travelled to high-risk areas in several southern French regions. The chikungunya outbreak has occurred far earlier in the year than is typical, and this could indicate the mosquitoes that carry chikungunya are becoming increasingly at home in France thanks to climate change, officials warned. Two cases have also been reported in Italy this week and both people were infected within the country rather than abroad, according to the Foreign Office-backed Travel Health Pro. In June of this year, Australian vacationers were issued a warning AS The Cook Islands, a nation in the South Pacific, declared the most recent outbreak of the disease after 19 cases were recorded. Case counts have also been increasing in Samoa, Tonga, French Polynesia, Fiji and Kiribati. As of July 16, two dozen cases of chikungunya infections in the US that had been contracted while traveling to high-risk areas have been reported by the CDC. While it remains unclear where patients contracted the virus, the federal agency has issued an elevated risk of exposure notice for Brazil, Colombia, India, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan, Philippines and Thailand. Approximately 200 cases of the virus were reported in 2024 in the US. According to the CDC, chikungunya was rarely identified in American travelers before 2006. However between 2006– and 2013, nearly 30 people tested positive for the infection every year in the US. All were travelers visiting or returning to the US from affected areas in Asia, Africa, or the Indian Ocean. In 2014, 2,799 cases, out of which 12 were locally-acquired, were reported in various US states including Florida, Texas, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands - marking the year as the highest ever. Though not fatal, chikungunya can cause a range of effects, which are primarily marked by a sudden onset of fever and severe joint pain, while other common symptoms include muscle pain, headache, nausea, fatigue and rashes. While the acute phase of the illness usually resolves within a week or two, the joint pain can persist for weeks, months or even years in some individuals. However, in some cases, infections can progress to severe dengue, which can cause potentially life-threatening complications such as internal bleeding and organ damage, and death. In extreme cases, eye, heart and neurological complications have also been reported in people suffering from a chikungunya infection. Newborns, adults aged 65 and older and people with certain health conditions are also at the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes, heart disease and high blood pressure due to an infection. While the virus cannot be transmitted directly from person to person, people can become infected with chikungunya when mosquitoes feed on another infected person and then bite them. If a pregnant woman is infected around the time of delivery, the baby can also be infected at birth, which often results in severe disease in the baby. While there is no medication to treat a chikungunya infection, its symptoms can be managed by taking acetaminophen for pain and drinking lots of fluids. In late 2023, the FDA also approved a vaccine for chikungunya for people over the age of 18 who are at increased risk of exposure to the virus called IXCHIQ.
Associated Press
18 hours ago
- Health
- Associated Press
Looking Back to the Future: Gilead's Long-Standing Commitment To Help End the HIV Epidemic
In June 1981, news of a mysterious disease first began making headlines out of San Francisco, Los Angeles and New York. People who were impacted developed unusual infections and grew sick as their immune systems failed. Those early days of what we now know as the HIV epidemic were marked by great fear and loss. By the time the first medicine was introduced in the United States in 1987, more than 5,000 people had died and the number of people impacted continued to balloon. In the decades since then, Gilead has been committed to relentless innovation to treat and prevent HIV – and its scientific advances have helped reshape the course of the epidemic: The company created the first single-tablet daily HIV treatment in 2006. Prior to this innovation, the first therapies to treat HIV required people to often take more than 20 pills a day and deal with potentially numerous side effects. Six years later, in 2012, Gilead again brought another tool to fight the epidemic when its first HIV prevention medicine was approved. Still a host of social factors, including stigma and access, have continued to contribute to the human toll and economic impact that HIV has had around the world. In the U.S. alone, 100 people die from HIV-related illnesses and 700 people are newly diagnosed each week. Thus, Gilead remains steadfastly committed to helping end the epidemic. Gilead is at the forefront of pioneering innovations in HIV, providing prevention and treatment options that help meet unmet needs. The company closed out 2024 earning the Breakthrough of the Year honor by Science magazine for one of its innovations in HIV. For Gilead, this new chapter of innovation in HIV is driven by two primary themes: putting people first and long-acting prevention options. Putting people first means, in part, partnering with communities early in the clinical development process. Researchers worked with the community in the design of its groundbreaking PURPOSE HIV prevention program. For example, researchers worked with the community in the design of its groundbreaking PURPOSE HIV prevention program, which is considered to be the most comprehensive and diverse of any HIV prevention program conducted. 'To make substantial progress, we must be intentional about both the scientific and community-based factors that help shape the epidemic,' says Moupali Das, Vice President, Clinical Development, HIV Prevention & Pediatrics. 'It's critical to focus on groups who are disproportionately affected by HIV and who most need new options for prevention.' Gilead also goes beyond investing in world-class science and putting people at the center of the drug development process. It also works with community organizations and global partners to reduce barriers to care and help enable access to its medicines. 'To help stop HIV, we need to help enable access to our medicines to everyone who could benefit, no matter who or where they are,' says Janet Dorling, Senior Vice President, Intercontinental Region, and Gilead Patient Solutions (GPS). Staying true to the company's heritage of pioneering access programs, Gilead is committed to supplying its medicines where the need is greatest. Ultimately, it will take a combination of bold, scientific innovation coupled with partnerships to help end the epidemic that has taken the lives of more than 42 million people since the 80s. 'We have a responsibility to help end one of the greatest public health challenges of our time,' says Daniel O'Day, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. 'The opportunity to end the HIV epidemic has never been greater.' Originally published by Gilead Sciences Visit 3BL Media to see more multimedia and stories from Gilead Sciences
Free Malaysia Today
a day ago
- Health
- Free Malaysia Today
WHO raises concern about spread of mosquito-borne Chikungunya virus
The mosquito-borne chikungunya virus can cause high fever, joint pain and long-term disability. (Pixabay pic) GENEVA : The World Health Organisation issued an urgent call for action on Tuesday to prevent a repeat of an epidemic of the mosquito-borne chikungunya virus that swept the globe two decades ago, as new outbreaks linked to the Indian Ocean region spread to Europe and other continents. An estimated 5.6 billion people live in areas across 119 countries at risk from the virus, which can cause high fever, joint pain and long-term disability, Diana Rojas Alvarez, a medical officer at the WHO, told reporters in Geneva. 'We are seeing history repeating itself,' she said, drawing parallels to the 2004-2005 epidemic, which affected nearly half a million people, primarily in small island territories, before spreading around the world. The current surge began in early 2025, with major outbreaks in the same Indian Ocean islands which were previously hit, including La Reunion, Mayotte and Mauritius. An estimated one-third of La Reunion's population has already been infected, Rojas Alvarez said. The virus is now spreading to countries such as Madagascar, Somalia and Kenya, and has shown epidemic transmission in Southeast Asia, including India. Of particular concern is the increasing number of imported cases and recent local transmission within Europe. There have been approximately 800 imported chikungunya cases in continental France since May 1, Rojas Alvarez said. Twelve local transmission episodes have been detected in several southern French regions, meaning individuals were infected by local mosquitoes without having travelled to endemic areas. A case was also detected last week in Italy. Chikungunya, for which there is no specific treatment and which is spread primarily by Aedes mosquito species, including the 'tiger mosquito' which also transmits dengue, and Zika, can cause rapid and large outbreaks. As the mosquitoes bite in the daytime, prevention is key, through the use of insect repellent and long-sleeved clothing.
Free Malaysia Today
a day ago
- Health
- Free Malaysia Today
WHO sounds alarm on risk of chikungunya epidemic
A health worker fumigates insecticide to control mosquito breeding amid dengue and chikungunya outbreaks in Colombo, Sri Lanka. (EPA Images pic) GENEVA : The World Health Organization warned on Tuesday a major chikungunya virus epidemic risks sweeping around the globe, calling for urgent action to prevent it. The WHO said it was picking up exactly the same early warning signs as in a major outbreak two decades ago and wanted to prevent a repeat. Chikungunya is a mosquito-borne viral disease that causes fever and severe joint pain, which is often debilitating. In some cases it can be deadly. 'Chikungunya is not a disease that is widely known, but it has been detected and transmitted in 119 countries globally, putting 5.6 billion people at risk,' said the WHO's Diana Rojas Alvarez. She recalled how from 2004 to 2005, a major chikungunya epidemic swept across the Indian Ocean, hitting small island territories before spreading globally and affecting almost half a million people. 'Today, WHO is seeing the same pattern emerge: since the beginning of 2025, Reunion, Mayotte and Mauritius have all reported major chikungunya outbreaks. One-third of the population of Reunion is estimated to have been infected already,' she told a press briefing in Geneva. 'Raising the alarm' The symptoms of chikungunya are similar to those of dengue fever and Zika virus disease, making it difficult to diagnose, according to the WHO. Rojas Alvarez said that like 20 years ago, the virus was now spreading to other places in the region, such as Madagascar, Somalia and Kenya. 'Epidemic transmission is also occurring in south Asia,' she added. In Europe, imported cases have also been reported, linked with the outbreak in the Indian Ocean islands. Local transmission has been reported in France, and suspected cases detected in Italy. 'Because these patterns of transmission were seen in the outbreak from 2004 onwards, WHO is calling for urgent action to prevent history from repeating itself,' said Rojas Alvarez. She noted that the case fatality rate was less than one percent, 'but when you start counting millions of cases, that one percent can be thousands' of deaths. 'We are raising the alarm early so countries can prepare early, detect and strengthen all the capacities to avoid going through very large outbreaks.' Tiger mosquitos Rojas Alvarez explained that in regions where populations have little or no immunity, the virus can quickly cause significant epidemics, affecting up to three-quarters of the population. Chikungunya virus is transmitted to humans by the bites of infected female mosquitoes, most commonly Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus mosquitoes. The latter, which is known as the tiger mosquito, is venturing farther north as the world warms because of human-driven climate change. They bite primarily during daylight hours, with peak activity often in the early morning and late afternoon. The WHO urged people to protect themselves through measures like using mosquito repellent and not leaving water to stagnate in containers such as buckets, where mosquitoes can breed.
CTV News
2 days ago
- Health
- CTV News
WHO sounds alarm on risk of chikungunya epidemic
GENEVA, Switzerland — The World Health Organization warned on Tuesday a major chikungunya virus epidemic risks sweeping around the globe, calling for urgent action to prevent it. The WHO said it was picking up exactly the same early warning signs as in a major outbreak two decades ago and wanted to prevent a repeat. Chikungunya is a mosquito-borne viral disease that causes fever and severe joint pain, which is often debilitating. In some cases it can be deadly. 'Chikungunya is not a disease that is widely known, but it has been detected and transmitted in 119 countries globally, putting 5.6 billion people at risk,' said the WHO's Diana Rojas Alvarez. She recalled how from 2004 to 2005, a major chikungunya epidemic swept across the Indian Ocean, hitting small island territories before spreading globally and affecting almost half a million people. 'Today, WHO is seeing the same pattern emerge: since the beginning of 2025, Reunion, Mayotte and Mauritius have all reported major chikungunya outbreaks. One-third of the population of Reunion is estimated to have been infected already,' she told a press briefing in Geneva. 'Raising the alarm' The symptoms of chikungunya are similar to those of dengue fever and Zika virus disease, making it difficult to diagnose, according to the WHO. Rojas Alvarez said that like 20 years ago, the virus was now spreading to other places in the region, such as Madagascar, Somalia and Kenya. 'Epidemic transmission is also occurring in south Asia,' she added. In Europe, imported cases have also been reported, linked with the outbreak in the Indian Ocean islands. Local transmission has been reported in France, and suspected cases detected in Italy. 'Because these patterns of transmission were seen in the outbreak from 2004 onwards, WHO is calling for urgent action to prevent history from repeating itself,' said Rojas Alvarez. She noted that the case fatality rate was less than one percent, 'but when you start counting millions of cases, that one percent can be thousands' of deaths. 'We are raising the alarm early so countries can prepare early, detect and strengthen all the capacities to avoid going through very large outbreaks.' Tiger mosquitos Rojas Alvarez explained that in regions where populations have little or no immunity, the virus can quickly cause significant epidemics, affecting up to three-quarters of the population. Chikungunya virus is transmitted to humans by the bites of infected female mosquitoes, most commonly Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus mosquitoes. The latter, which is known as the tiger mosquito, is venturing farther north as the world warms because of human-driven climate change. They bite primarily during daylight hours, with peak activity often in the early morning and late afternoon. The WHO urged people to protect themselves through measures like using mosquito repellent and not leaving water to stagnate in containers such as buckets, where mosquitoes can breed.
