Only one person has been diagnosed with mosquito-borne chikungunya fever in Paris, only days before the Olympics, according to French health officials. The viral condition produces fever and joint pain and has no cure. However, it is rarely fatal.
It is common in the tropics, but the person in Paris is thought to have contracted it locally on July 18, one week before the Olympics began. In June, France engaged ‘tiger mosquito investigators’ to avoid an outbreak during the Paris Olympics. Last summer, Paris was fumigated for the first time to prevent disease-ridden tiger beetles from moving north and infecting people there.
The disease’s name means “to become contorted” in the African Kimakonde language, indicating that it causes significant muscular and joint discomfort. Symptoms include a sudden onset of fever, headache, and exhaustion. Most people recover within a few days, but in certain situations, joint discomfort can last for weeks, months, or even longer.
The tiger mosquito, also known as Aedes albopictus, arrived in southern Europe during the first decade of this century. Since then, it has been “established” in Austria, Bulgaria, Croatia, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Malta, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, and Spain. It is distinguished by black and white stripes on its body and legs and can spread a variety of tropical diseases, including Chikungunya, dengue, and Zika.
The first Chikungunya outbreak in Europe occurred in Italy in 2007. Climate change has contributed to the bug’s success on the continent. Warmer weather accelerates egg development and winters are no longer cold enough to kill the pests, according to health experts.
Experts have already warned that London may become the next hotspot for the irrepressible critter within the next decade. Last year, the UK government deployed more mosquito traps at ports, gas stations, and truck stops in south England to combat dengue illness.
Since 2016, the bugs have been detected six times in Southeast England.
Read More: Click Here
