In Canelones they found two imported cases of chikungunya

infectious diseases that spreads the mosquito Aedes aegypti, a variety that is present in Uruguay and that is the same vector that transmits dengue, are booming in the region. Brazil ended 2022 with a record of infections and deaths from this cause. Peru announced the health emergency as a result of more than 9,000 dengue infections. And Argentina issued alerts due to the growth of cases in Paraguay and the border with northern Argentina.

The Ministry of Public Health of Uruguay announced that surveillance continues, recalled that for now no autochthonous cases were found (only imported) and that the population is asked to remove the water that remains stagnant in scrap metal or containers (especially now after the rains), because they are favorable places for the reproduction of the mosquito. The responsible use of repellents, appropriate clothing and mosquito nets are also recommended.

Chikungunya: symptoms and origin of the name

According to the World Health Organization, chikungunya is a type of fever caused by mosquitoes that are infected. In addition to fever and severe joint pain, it produces other symptoms, such as muscle aches, headaches, nausea, tiredness and skin rashes.

In this sense, some symptoms are similar to sister viral diseases such as dengue and Zika.

It was first described during an outbreak that occurred in the southern Tanzania in 1952. Hence, the name means in the local language (Kimakonde) “to bend”, because the position that people adopted after severe muscle pain.