New York Confirms First Locally Acquired Chikungunya Virus Case in the U.S. Since 2019

The “deadly mosquito virus” that led to lockdowns in China has now suddenly emerged in the United States.

New York state health authorities confirmed that a resident of Nassau County has the first locally acquired case of chikungunya virus in the state.

This case also represents the first locally transmitted infection in the United States in approximately six years, with no other cases reported in U.S. states or territories since 2019.

The case is being treated as isolated, with no evidence yet of community spread, according to AP.

The patient, identified as a woman from Long Island, began experiencing symptoms in early August.

Following the onset of symptoms, medical professionals evaluated the patient and submitted samples for testing.

County health officials reported that the woman had traveled outside the region but had not left the country before falling ill.

Definitive confirmation of the chikungunya infection came through laboratory testing conducted at the New York Department of Health’s Wadsworth Center, according to NBC News.

The specialized laboratory analysis conclusively identified the virus, allowing health officials to classify this as the first documented case of locally acquired chikungunya in New York State’s history.

Chikungunya is a debilitating virus transmitted primarily by the Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus mosquitoes. It causes severe fever, excruciating joint pain, headaches, muscle aches, and a distinctive rash that can leave victims bedridden for weeks.

While most recover, the joint pain can persist for months or even years, turning everyday activities into ordeals.

The virus isn’t spread person-to-person but requires an infected mosquito to bite a carrier, often someone who has traveled from endemic regions like the Caribbean, Africa, or South America, and then pass it on locally.

This case, involving a resident with no recent travel history, underscores a grim reality: tropical diseases are creeping northward, and the Biden-Harris administration’s open border enforcement is the prime suspect.

Since 2021, millions have crossed the southern border unchecked, many hailing from chikungunya hotspots in Central and South America.

Critics argue that without rigorous health screenings, these migrants could unwittingly introduce viruses that then infect local mosquito populations.

In August, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a Level 2 travel health notice warning U.S. citizens to take “enhanced precautions” when traveling to Guangdong Province, China, particularly Foshan, the epicenter of a rapidly spreading Chikungunya virus outbreak.

According to the CDC, the outbreak in Guangdong has already sickened more than 7,000 people since June.

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