Health officials in New York State have confirmed that a resident of Nassau County on Long Island has tested positive for the Chikungunya virus, marking the first reported case of local transmission in the United States in six years. Chikungunya is a viral disease spread by mosquito bites and has historically been prevalent in tropical and subtropical regions.
According to the State Department of Health, the case was confirmed through laboratory testing, with the patient exhibiting symptoms such as fever and joint pain since August. The Nassau County Health Department stated that the patient had recently traveled within the New York area but had not traveled abroad, and it is currently unclear how they contracted the virus. While it is speculated that the patient may have been infected by a mosquito carrying the virus, no evidence of sustained community transmission has been found in locally collected mosquito samples.
Chikungunya is transmitted by mosquitoes and cannot be passed directly from person to person. Infected individuals typically experience symptoms such as fever, joint swelling, headaches, muscle pain, and rash within three to seven days after being bitten. Most patients recover within a week, but some may continue to experience joint discomfort. Infants, elderly individuals over 65, and those with underlying health conditions like hypertension, diabetes, and heart disease are at higher risk of developing severe complications.
Although the disease is rarely fatal, there is currently no specific antiviral treatment for Chikungunya, and only symptom management can help alleviate discomfort. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends Chikungunya vaccination only for travelers visiting high-risk countries.
The State Department of Health mentioned that mosquito species capable of carrying the Chikungunya virus are present in the New York City metropolitan area and some parts of Long Island. However, with the decrease in mosquito activity as fall temperatures drop, the current risk of transmission is deemed “very low.”
State Health Commissioner James McDonald advised the public to continue taking basic preventive measures, including wearing long-sleeved clothing, using EPA-registered mosquito repellent, checking window screens for damages, and eliminating any standing water sources outdoors, like flower pots, buckets, and drainage areas, to reduce mosquito breeding.
In addition to the locally transmitted case in Nassau County, three other Chikungunya cases in New York this year were travel-related and not locally acquired. There have been no other records of local transmission in the United States since 2019. Local mosquitoes could also carry other viruses such as West Nile virus and Eastern Equine Encephalitis.
Chikungunya outbreaks have been documented in various regions globally, including Africa, the Americas, Asia, Europe, and islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. Health officials stress that although the risk of infection in New York is currently very low, mosquito control measures remain crucial in preventing disease spread.