PAHO Warns of Rising Chikungunya Cases

Tonight, health officials across the Americas are alerting the region, a sharp rise in chikungunya cases is triggering new warnings from the Pan American Health Organization. After years of relatively low activity, the virus is resurging in several countries, and PAHO says the spike is being fueled by extreme heat and the return of local transmission in places that hadn’t seen the disease in years. The concern now is preparation. PAHO is urging governments to boost surveillance, strengthen clinical care, especially for vulnerable groups, and step up mosquito‑control efforts as the Aedes aegypti population grows. And for the public, the message is simple: limit mosquito exposure, eliminate standing water, and take precautions to prevent further spread. PAHO says the region has seen this before, but with high temperatures and multiple virus strains circulating, the risk of larger outbreaks is back on the radar.