Fiocruz says that RJ is experiencing an epidemic of chikungunya | New Orleans hotels

"Especially if one takes into account that there are on average two unrecorded cases in the reported case." Chikungunya is a new disease that is developing in the southeast, where people have not yet been in contact with the disease and have no antibodies, "he said.

Up to October, 120 cases of chikungunya per day on average were recorded in the state of Rio de Janeiro. This number is much higher than that recorded during the same period in 2017, with 4,825 occurrences recorded.

According to the infectiologist, the number of cases will increase this summer, as many Aedes aegypti mosquitoes circulate in this state. The challenges of combating the proliferation of mosquitoes therefore go beyond actions in favor of health.

"In addition to the measures taken by the health sector to seek a vaccine and create genetically modified sterile mosquitoes and residents to avoid stagnant water at home, the main problems are the failure to collect urban waste, which leaves solid waste that accumulates rainwater on the streets, an irregular water supply, which causes residents to accumulate water in inadequate and seamless containers, and urban violence that prevents health actions in areas at risk, "said Cunha.

Chikungunya can be fatal to groups of vulnerable people, such as the elderly and newborns, and is a new disease and a major challenge for health professionals who do not have this practice in their treatment. Although the numbers are very low – a death per thousand on a number of registered cases – the disease causes decompensation in people with other diseases, such as diabetes, hypertension and autoimmune diseases. immune.