As climate change reshapes disease patterns, the once “exotic” mosquito-borne virus is emerging as a growing threat to southern Europe, including Greece. Here’s what you need to know about transmission, symptoms, vaccines and prevention

Rising temperatures and the spread of the tiger mosquito are expanding the risk of chikungunya transmission across southern and even northern Europe, raising new public health concerns

The virus has already appeared in European countries such as Italy and France, as well as in the United States, Asia, and Africa. Vaccines are available in the U.S., but in Cyprus, treatment focuses on symptom management in consultation with healthcare providers

Once infected, individuals typically experience fever, severe joint pain, headache, rash, and muscle aches. While the fatality rate is below 1%, widespread infection means that even this small percentage could result in thousands of deaths

Nestos authorities are calling for the region to be declared in a state of emergency due to the alarming rise in mosquito populations posing health risks.