A New York woman says she was in crippling pain after battling a painful virus that was previously never reported in the Empire State.
New York health officials have confirmed the state’s first locally acquired case of chikungunya virus.
Chikungunya Virus Confirmed In New York State
Lab results confirmed the first locally acquired case of chikungunya reported in New York State history. No locally acquired cases have been reported in the U.S. states and territories since 2019, officials say.
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Chikungunya is a mosquito-borne disease common in tropical and subtropical regions, with symptoms including fever, joint pain and swelling, headache, muscle pain, and rash. The virus can kill humans but is “rarely fatal,” officials say.
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Long Island Resident Tests Positive
Laboratory testing identified the virus in a resident of Nassau County on Long Island, but the exact source of exposure remains unknown.
“Our Wadsworth Center has confirmed this test result, which is the first known case of locally acquired Chikungunya in New York State. Given the much colder nighttime temperatures, the current risk in New York is very low.” State Health Commissioner Dr. James McDonald stated. “We urge everyone to take simple precautions to protect themselves and their families from mosquito bites.”
No Known Travel
The Nassau County woman reported being in crippling pain before the test results were in. She said it felt like her joints were on fire and being ripped apart.
Over 7,000 people were recently infected during a massive chikungunya outbreak in China. Other outbreaks have occurred in Africa, the Americas, Asia, Europe, and islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans.
It remains unclear how the woman became infected. The Long Island native says she never left her town before getting sick in late August.
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