France has recorded nearly 400 locally acquired chikungunya cases this summer. This is a significant increase compared to last year, French health authorities said.

As of September 8, there have been 382 cases of chikungunya from people bitten by infected mosquitoes in France, including 81 in the last week alone, in addition to 966 imported cases. The country has also recorded 21 cases of locally acquired dengue and 894 imported cases, Politico reported.

This is a sharp increase in the number of mosquito-borne chikungunya cases in the country compared to last year, when only one such case was recorded in France.

Chikungunya can cause flu-like symptoms such as high fever, headache, nausea, rash, and muscle and joint pain. Most people recover, although 30 to 40% of those affected develop chronic arthritis.

Tiger mosquitoes are becoming increasingly widespread in Europe as climate change makes environmental conditions more suitable for their development. This increases the risk of the spread of vector-borne diseases that were previously confined to the tropics and are now becoming endemic across the continent. | BGNES