The UK’s Health Security Agency has advised overseas travellers to take precautions to avoid contracting the potentially severe mosquito-borne virus, Chikungunya.

This warning was issued in response to recently published data, which shows that during the first six months of this year, there have been 73 reported cases of Chikungunya virus in England. Only 27 cases were reported during the same time last year. All of these infections were associated with travel to regions which have had ongoing outbreaks of Chikungunya virus, including Sri Lanka, India and Mauritius.

Chikungunya is a viral infection caused by the Chikungunya virus, which is almost always spread by Aedes mosquitoes. These mosquitoes usually breed in standing water, which means they generally live close to human populations. Unlike the mosquitoes that spread malaria, Aedes mosquitoes bite during the day.

A person infected with Chikungunya virus will usually start experiencing symptoms about four to eight days after the bite. The illness usually starts with a sudden high temperature, typically alongside severe joint pain. Other symptoms may include joint swelling, muscle pain, headache, nausea, fatigue and rash. Joint pain usually lasts a few days but can last for weeks, months and, in rare cases, years.

The infection is usually mild and almost all people recover without needing medical treatment. However, joint pain when it occurs can be very severe and can last long after the initial illness. Deaths from Chikungunya virus are rare. When........

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