(MENAFN) The World Health Organization (WHO) issued a stark warning Tuesday, cautioning that the world may be on the brink of reliving the devastating 2005 chikungunya epidemic unless swift containment measures are taken.

"Chikungunya is not a widely known disease, but it’s already circulating in 119 countries, placing 5.6 billion people at risk," said Diana Rojas Alvarez, the WHO’s lead on arboviruses, during a United Nations briefing. The virus, transmitted by mosquitoes, causes fever, skin rash, and intense joint pain—symptoms that may persist for weeks and, in up to 40% of cases, result in long-term disability.

Since early 2025, significant outbreaks have hit multiple islands in the Indian Ocean, including La Reunion, Mayotte, and Mauritius. On La Reunion alone, as much as one-third of the population is believed to have been infected, Rojas noted.

She added that the virus is now advancing into parts of East Africa—specifically Madagascar, Somalia, and Kenya—while South Asia continues to grapple with outbreaks in the wake of India’s 2024 epidemic. Case numbers are also climbing in Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. In Europe, health officials have confirmed imported cases and local transmission in France, with suspected infections under investigation in Italy.

"The pattern mirrors what we saw in 2004–2005," Rojas warned. "We must act now to avoid history repeating itself."

Rojas urged countries where Aedes mosquitoes are present to immediately scale up disease surveillance and vector control initiatives. Although the number of infections is declining with winter setting in across the Indian Ocean region, she stressed that early identification and a swift public health response remain vital to curbing the virus and minimizing both long-term health impacts and economic fallout.

She added that the WHO is actively supporting affected regions by sending in technical experts, training frontline healthcare workers, and bolstering mosquito control efforts.

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