The chikungunya virus has made a return in Singapore after it was thought to have been eradicated. Of the 924 cases reported since April this year, 881 were locally transmitted.
According to the Strait Times, the National Environmental Agency said that the majority of the infections had been in the Sungei Kadut and Bukit Timah areas. The lush vegetation in those areas is a natural breeding ground to the Aedes albopictus mosquitoes, which are the primary vectors for chikungunya virus transmission among humans.
While feeding, infected mosquitoes inject the chikungunya virus into the bloodstream, where the virus infects and replicates in human cells. Replicated viruses are then further released into the bloodstream, driving inflammation. The incubation period for the virus is typically three to seven days, according to the Center for Disease Control. Cases of asymptomatic infections have also been reported.
Chikungunya virus infection symptoms of fever, headaches, muscle pains, nausea and vomiting resemble symptoms of other arboviral diseases such as dengue fever and encephalitis. However, chikungunya virus infection patients often report debilitating joint pains and arthritis, lasting up to months.
While there are currently no antivirals and vaccines available to combat the chikungunya virus, fatalities related to the virus are rare.
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