In its latest monitoring point on Tuesday, December 17, Public Health France identified four active sources of chikungunya transmission, including a new one at Ligne des 400 in Saint-Pierre. A move to epidemic level “is possible in the coming weeks.”
Indigenous cases of chikungunya continue to increase in Reunion since the end of August, a first in ten years. In its latest monitoring point, Tuesday December 17, Public Health France recorded 18 new cases in two weeks, bringing the total number of people infected to 53 since the resurgence noted on August 23.
Guest of the Morning Meeting the 1st on Wednesday December 11, Professor Xavier Deparis already described the progression of arbovirus in the department. “In one week, we had around ten additional cases. We have three large active outbreaks, at Hermitage, Etang-Salé and Grand-Bassin. The latter, we think we can put it out. That of the Aigrettes, the outbreak original is extinct, there have been no cases for several weeks” then specified the director of Health Surveillance and Security at the ARS of Reunion.
But there are now four outbreaks which are active to date on the island, including a new one at the Ligne des 400, between Saint-Pierre and Le Tampon (three cases), synonymous with geographical dispersion. If the outbreaks of Grand Bassin and l’Hermitage have not brought in any new cases over the last two weeks, the virus seems to be circulating “very active” in the Etang-Salé home.
Which makes Public Health France say that the island is facing “a possible transition to an epidemic over the coming weeks in the event that circulation continues to intensify and expand geographically.”
Although the total number of cases remains moderate to date, and the health impact is very limited (no hospitalizations reported), the department must expect a possible epidemic. In this context, medical personnel are invited to prescribe “the quickest after the onset of symptoms a biological analysis allowing the confirmation or refutation of the diagnosis.”
It should also be noted that dengue cases have stagnated for two weeks, with 18 cases reported since the end of August in the municipalities of Saint-Pierre, Saint-Joseph and Le Port.
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