Chikungunya and Zika in Myanmar
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued a level one travel health notice (exercise normal precautions) for chikungunya fever and a level two notice (exercise increased caution) for Zika for people travelling to Myanmar, the Taipei Times has reported
The travel one advisory for chikungunya infection warns against all non-essential travel to Myanmar, the Maldives, Thailand and India, which are countries where the virus has been brought into Taiwan since July.
The Taipei Times reported that, according to the CDC, 25 chikungunya fever cases have been confirmed this year, 12 of which were from Myanmar. The disease is transmitted by the bites of infected mosquitos, so it is important that travellers practice precautions related to preventing mosquito bites, such as using insect repellant and wearing long-sleeved clothes. Symptoms of the disease include fever, joint pain, headache, nausea, fatigue and muscle pain and travellers experiencing these should seek medical assistance.
Zika virus is another disease transmitted by mosquitos and CDC Deputy Director-General Chuang Jen-hsiang said that travellers to Myanmar or other Southeast Asian countries where the Zika virus, chikungunya fever and dengue fever are spreading should protect against mosquito bites by wearing long sleeves, using government-approved insect repellents and staying in places with screened windows and doors.