Health officials say mosquitoes that can transmit a new mosquito-borne virus have been found in Kansas, though there haven’t been confirmed cases of the virus among people.
Chikungunya is a new mosquito-borne virus that’s spread quickly in the Caribbean since December.
There haven’t been any confirmed cases of the virus in Kansas. But Charles Hunt, state epidemiologist, says two types of mosquitoes that can transmit the disease have been found in the state. Hunt says the disease isn’t normally fatal, and symptoms can include fever, muscle and joint pain, rash and headaches.
Federal health officials say the only locally transmitted case in the U.S. was in Puerto Rico. But there have been at least 27 confirmed travel-related cases in Florida and seven other states.
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Associated Press information from: The Topeka Capital-Journal
