In Asia, Africa and Caribbean countries the chikungunya virus is spreading very rapidly due to tiger mosquitoes. Is there a danger that it will also arrive in Europe?
Don't store avocado like this: it's dangerousWe have always thought of mosquito bites as annoying and irritating but certainly not dangerous, at least in our country. We hope shortly we will not have to change our minds since in Asia, Africa and the Caribbean areas of the simple stings of tiger mosquitoes they are turning into a real nightmare.
In fact, some tiger mosquitoes appear to be carriers of the virus swells, which just like dengue fever, spreads through the bites of these insects. What can this virus cause? Other fever, very strong joint pain and even in the most serious cases paralysis. It seems that it has already affected hundreds of thousands of people, according to a National Geographic report that first raised the alarm, about 250 thousand people were affected in the Dominican Republic alone.
Thus grows the concern that a real pandemic could be generated given that mosquitoes migrate easily and consequently the virus could spread even in areas not currently affected. In the United States for example the virus has already appeared brought by some American travelers who had spent their holidays in the Caribbean. "I'm pretty sure we'll have cases here too, if we haven't already," said Paola Lichtenberger, of the University of Miami's Tropical Medicine Program.
Obviously there are fears that the virus could also reach Europe and the health authorities of the areas at risk are already informing travelers who frequent them on the precautions to be taken to avoid infection.
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