Our planet’s overheating isn’t just causing warmer temperature trends and increasing extreme weather events. Scientists are also seeing a rise in viruses like the mosquito-borne chikungunya.
What’s happening?
In Mombasa County, Kenya, the chikungunya virus is spreading quickly. It’s infected almost half a million people this year and killed more than 155 globally, according to Gavi.
Although it has a relatively low mortality rate, the muscle and joint pain it can cause is often debilitating. For as many as 40% of infected people, the pain can be chronic and last for months or years.
This is the third outbreak of the virus since 2018 in Mombasa. Its symptoms are often confused with those of dengue or malaria, making it difficult to treat if not identified.
“We noticed increasing numbers of patients in our public hospitals who complained about high body fever, lack of appetite and painful body joints, and after doing medical investigations the results showed that it was indeed chikungunya,” said Mombasa County Public Health Officer Hildergard Wasike, per Gavi.
Why is this outbreak concerning?
Since it was first discovered in the 1950s, chikungunya has been found in 199 countries on every continent except Antarctica.
Mombasa’s tropical climate is conducive to the mosquitoes that spread chikungunya, and warming climates have exacerbated the issue.
“Ten years ago, this disease was not there,” said Jane Lusese, a nurse at Sea Side Hospital in Mombasa. “The weather pattern has changed… now we encourage parents and guardians to cover children under treated mosquito nets when sleeping, both night- and daytime.”
Mosquitoes are among the deadliest animals on Earth, spreading life-threatening diseases to millions of people every year.
Rising global temperatures are amplifying their presence. Warmer climates reshape ecosystems and increase public health risks by lengthening mosquito season and expanding their range.
Increased extreme weather like floods provides more breeding conditions for mosquitoes. So do areas of drought when people store more stagnant water.
What’s being done about this?
Chikungunya treatment involves supportive care such as IV fluids, painkillers, and vitamins.
To limit the spread of chikungunya and other mosquito-borne diseases like malaria and dengue fever, Mombasa County is taking more preventative measures. It has intensified evening fogging of aerosolized insecticide across the city to kill mosquito populations.
The public has been asked to clear or cover water sources, eliminate stagnant water, and keep surroundings clean and dry.
An emergency operation center in the county’s health department acts as an early warning system for outbreaks. A network of community health promoters communicates suspected cases to a centralized call center.
Global organizations like the World Mosquito Program are working with communities to keep them safe. Their work aims to prevent outbreaks of mosquito-borne illnesses like dengue, Zika, yellow fever, and chikungunya.
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