Just a note to flag up the new mosquito-borne Chikungunya virus (CHIKV), which first emerged in La Reunion and has now infected around 250,000 people. There have been very few deaths from it (200 - around the same percentage as a regular flu virus with the weak, very young and old being most at risk).
The virus has spread rather vigorously to Madagascar, Mauritius, Mayotte, the Seychelles and Andhra Pradesh in India. So far 160 French tourists and four British have contracted the illness. I'm one of the Brits, I caught it in Madagascar and think it worth flagging up.
Chikungunya, a Swahili word which literally means ‘that which bends over’ or 'stooped walk' because of the doubled-up stance taken by sufferers, exhibits severe flu like symptoms and is a pretty unpleasant virus. Symptoms begin between 4 and 7 days after the you have been bitten by an infected mosquito. A high fever and headache follow, coupled with significant pains in the joints (esp. ankles, wrists) and can persist for several weeks.
If travelling to affected areas avoid mosquito bites and make sure you carry a well equipped first aid kit, with an overstock of rehydration sachets and regular painkillers that lower your temperature. If you catch it don't panic, it might feel touch and go early on and takes a bit longer than a regular flu to get over (about 4 - 6 weeks) but you can make a good recovery if you rest up and keep hydrated.
Finally, the WHO predict that this virus will spread further with the next likely affected area being the Mediterranean.
