• Following a rise in the number of US travelers returning from Telangana, India, diagnosed with Chikungunya, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released the Level 2 Travel Advisory notice.

• The Advisory includes:

1. Symptoms of the disease- fever, joint pain, muscle ache, rashes.

2. Route of Transmission- Vector-borne- Mosquito (Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus) bites

3. Modes of Prevention-

•             Self protection- wearing long sleeve clothes, using insect repellants

•             Recommending Vaccination for all aged 18yrs and above travelling to areas of outbreak- with     restrictions for certain groups like pregnant women and immunosuppressed.

• The four levels of travel advisories are meant to inform travellers about the global health risks of traveller to different areas of the world and the level of precautionary measures required. 

• The recommendations are as follows-

  • Level 1 for practicing usual precautionary measures for a disease

  • Level 2 for practicing enhanced precautionary measures

  • Level 3 for recommending reconsideration for travel due to non-essential reasons

  • Level 4 to avoid all travel.

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