Chikungunya

[FBN]

Since January, more than 25,500 cases of chikungunya have been reported across 23 provinces. Most cases have been reported in Thailand's south, with the provinces of Nakhon Si Thammarat, Narathiwat, Pattani, Songkhla, Trang, and Yala the hardest hit areas.

The disease appears to be re-established in Thailand following an outbreak in 2008, when some 200 individuals were infected. Prior to that, the last notable outbreak was reported in 1995. Since the reemergence of the disease, there is some concern by authorities that the virus may have changed to become more transmissible, or adapted to humans.

The Disease

Chikungunya is a viral disease transmitted via mosquito bites. The incubation time of the disease is four to seven days.

The first symptom is usually a sudden fever that lasts two to five days. Severe joint pain is one of the disease's main symptoms - chikungunya is Swahili for "that which contorts or bends up". Headache and rash are also common symptoms.

There is no cure for the disease; patients are usually instructed to rest. The disease is rarely fatal. Recovery often takes several weeks during which the patient is intensely tired and has difficulty concentrating. The associated joint pain can last for several months, and patients may be more susceptible to other diseases.