US records more cases of virus prompting Covid-era restrictions in China... as travel warnings take effect

Cases of the debilitating chikungunya virus sweeping through China are also surging in the US, health officials have warned.

CDC officials have reported four more cases this week, bringing the total to 50 cases of chikungunya in the US, all of which are in people who traveled to areas where it is more common like Asia and South America. It is unclear how many are linked to China's outbreak.

The virus, which is spread by the Aedes mosquito, can cause sudden, agonizing joint pain in the hands and feet that can be so severe that it leaves sufferers unable to move normally for months.

Chikungunya is tearing through China with more than 10,000 cases, leaving the nation battling its largest outbreak ever.

The outbreak has prompted the CDC to issue a level 2 travel warning for China, which urges Americans to take extra precautions when visiting the area. The notice also applies to Brazil, Colombia, India, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan, the Philippines and Thailand.

Chikungunya is a 'nationally notifiable' condition in the US, meaning health authorities can voluntarily report cases to the agency for national tracking and monitoring.

While a handful of cases pop up in the US every year from people traveling to high-risk areas, it hasn't experienced local transmission since 2019.

But with 1.6million people traveling between the US and China every year, mosquitoes in America could bite an infected traveler and begin transmitting the virus locally to Americans.

Dr Louisa Messenger, a mosquito researcher in Nevada, previously told DailyMail.com: 'This outbreak in China is very concerning. It [the virus] could already be here in the US; and really it's just one plane flight away.'

Along with the CDC, travel agencies and cruise lines have also issued warnings about preventing mosquito-borne diseases, including chikungunya, dengue and Lyme disease, all of which have been detected in the US so far this year.

Last month, Norwegian Cruise Line warned guests traveling to Italy this year to use insect repellent and wear clothing treated with permethrin, which can repel ticks and mosquitoes. Aedes mosquitoes are common in Italy, especially around coastal areas.

Authorities in Italy reported the first locally acquired cases of both dengue and chikungunya, prompting the warnings from Norwegian Cruise Line.

The Massachusetts Department of Health also urged in a recent health bulletin not to travel to areas with known outbreaks of mosquito-borne illnesses and get necessary vaccines if you are traveling to these areas.

Health officials in New Jersey also stated: 'The best way to prevent chikungunya is to prevent mosquito bites and avoid travel to areas with ongoing chikungunya outbreaks.'

Chikungunya is spread to humans from a bite from the Aedes mosquito, which also spread dengue fever, yellow fever and Zika virus. The infection does not spread from person to person through bodily contact or saliva.

However, pregnant women who become infected near the time of delivery can pass the virus to their baby during birth, which can result in severe illness in the newborn.

About 15 to 35 percent of people infected with the virus are asymptomatic, the CDC reports.

The incubation period is typically three to seven days and the most common symptom is a sudden onset of a fever over 102 degrees Fahrenheit (39 degrees Celsius).

Other symptoms of chikungunya virus include headache, nausea, rash, muscle aches, swelling and redness of the conjunctiva (the white part of the eye and inner eyelids) and joint pain that is sometimes severe and debilitating in the hands or feet.

In severe cases, life-threatening complications involving the heart and brain can occur such as inflammation, irregular heartbeats and organ failure.

Symptoms usually last seven to 10 days, but patients may experience lifelong complications such as persistent joint pain.

There is no specific treatment for chikungunya, and doctors mostly focus on easing symptoms like over-the-counter pain and fever medications. However, there are two vaccines available for people visiting an area with an outbreak.

China has recorded approximately 10,000 chikungunya viruses this year, making this its largest outbreak of the virus.

Mitigation efforts, including using drones to spray insecticide in mosquito-infested areas has led to a slow down in new cases, though more than 1,000 were still recorded in the last week.

According to the CDC, chikungunya was rarely detected in American travelers before 2006. But between 2006 and 2013, the US logged around 30 imported cases a year, all in people who had recently visited affected regions in Asia, Africa or the Indian Ocean.

In 2014, a total of 2,799 cases were reported - including 12 that were locally acquired - in states and territories such as Florida, Texas, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands, making it the country's worst year on record for the virus.