Russia recorded its first case of Chikungunya fever on Friday, the sanitary watchdog Rospotrebnadzor said, adding the patient is hospitalized in moderate condition.
Officials said they had warned of possible importation and were prepared. The patient arrived from Sri Lanka, sought care with suspected dengue, and laboratory tests confirmed chikungunya.
Rospotrebnadzor said the risk of domestic spread is currently low because transmission occurs via mosquito bites and the local vector population does not pose an epidemiological threat. The agency said anti-epidemic measures were promptly carried out and health checks at border crossings continue for arrivals from high-risk regions.
Chikungunya symptoms can include fever, severe joint and muscle pain, nausea, fatigue, rash, and swollen joints. There is no vaccine or specific antiviral treatment, the watchdog noted.