The World Health Organization (WHO) warned on Tuesday that the world could be on the brink of another chikungunya epidemic, similar to the 2005 outbreak, unless swift measures are implemented to control its spread.
"Chikungunya is not a widely known disease, but it’s already circulating in 119 countries, placing 5.6 billion people at risk," Diana Rojas Alvarez, WHO's team lead on arboviruses, said during a UN briefing.
The virus, transmitted by Aedes mosquitoes, causes fever, rash, and intense joint pain, which can persist for weeks and cause long-term disability in up to 40% of those infected.
Since early 2025, the virus has triggered major outbreaks across Indian Ocean islands such as La Reunion, Mayotte, and Mauritius, with estimates suggesting that a third of La Reunion's population may have been infected.
The virus is also spreading across Madagascar, Somalia, Kenya, and South Asia, where countries like India, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh are reporting increased cases. Infections have also reached Europe, with local transmission reported in France and suspected cases in Italy.
"The pattern mirrors what we saw in 2004–2005," Rojas warned. "We must act now to avoid history repeating itself."
While case numbers are currently declining in the Indian Ocean region due to seasonal changes, WHO emphasized the importance of early detection and a rapid response to minimize infections and long-term impacts.
Germany and France are aiming to end a long-standing rift over their joint fighter jet project by August, as Chancellor Friedrich Merz and President E...
Senior diplomats from Iran, Russia and China convened in Tehran to coordinate their positions on Iran’s nuclear programme and Western sanctions ahea...
Australia has made a further payment to the United States under the AUKUS nuclear submarine deal. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese confirmed on Wednesd...
Russia and Ukraine held a brief 40-minute meeting in Istanbul on Wednesday, discussing further prisoner exchanges but failing to make progress on a ce...
Ten firefighters have died and 14 others were injured battling a wildfire in Türkiye’s Eskisehir province....
Germany and France are aiming to end a long-standing rift over their joint fighter jet project by August, as Chancellor Friedrich Merz and President Emmanuel Macron push for unity in European defense.
Turkish defence firm Aselsan showcased new technologies designed to integrate with Türkiye’s multi-layered Steel Dome air defence system at the International Defence Industry Fair (IDEF 2025) in Istanbul this week.
Senior diplomats from Iran, Russia and China convened in Tehran to coordinate their positions on Iran’s nuclear programme and Western sanctions ahead of upcoming negotiations in Istanbul.
The world’s biggest dance music festival faces an unexpected setback as a fire destroys its main stage, prompting a last-minute response from organisers determined to keep the party alive in Boom, Belgium.
Australian researchers have created a groundbreaking “biological AI” platform that could revolutionise drug discovery by rapidly evolving molecules within mammalian cells.
Australian researchers have pioneered a low-cost and scalable plasma-based method to produce ammonia gas directly from air, offering a green alternative to the traditional fossil fuel-dependent Haber-Bosch process.
A series of earthquakes have struck Guatemala on Tuesday afternoon, leading authorities to advise residents to evacuate from buildings as a precaution against possible aftershocks.
The U.S. economy faces a 40% risk of recession in the second half of 2025, JP Morgan analysts said on Wednesday, citing rising tariffs and stagflation concerns.
Every Sunday evening at Chicago’s North Avenue Beach, the sound of collective shouting echoes across Lake Michigan – not from protestors, but from Scream Club Chicago, a group gathering to relieve stress by screaming into the open air.
A major study warns that antibiotic-resistant superbugs could kill millions each year while shrinking the global economy by almost $2 trillion annually by 2050, a crisis driven in part by international aid cuts that undermine resistance efforts.
The United States has rejected a global pandemic treaty adopted by the World Health Organization (WHO), saying it threatens national sovereignty and lacks clear language.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced on Thursday that Deputy Prime Minister Olha Stefanishyna, who currently oversees European and Euro-Atlantic integration, has been appointed as Ukraine’s next ambassador to the United States.
British researchers have announced a major scientific milestone: eight babies have been born healthy through a revolutionary technique that combines DNA from three individuals to eliminate the risk of passing on severe mitochondrial diseases.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment