The World Health Organisation on Tuesday issued an urgent call for action to prevent a repeat of an epidemic of the mosquito-borne chikungunya virus, as infections spread to more countries.
The global health body, expressed concern that virus is now spreading to African countries such as Madagascar, Somalia and Kenya, and has shown epidemic transmission in Southeast Asia, including India.
Speaking at a press briefing in Geneva, Diana Alvarez, a medical officer at the WHO, warned that an estimated 5.6 billion people in 119 countries now live in areas at risk of the virus, which is known to cause high fever, severe joint pain, and, in some cases, long-term disability.