New Delhi, Oct 4 : The world saw more than 4.4 lakh suspected and confirmed cases of chikungunya disease and 155 deaths due to it from January to September 30, this year, said the World Health Organization (WHO).

In the latest outbreak notice from 40 countries, Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) disease was noted in several countries, including some that had not reported substantial case numbers in recent years.

'Between 1 January and 30 September 2025, a total of 4,45,271 suspected and confirmed CHIKV disease cases and 155 deaths were reported globally from 40 countries, including autochthonous and travel-imported cases,' the WHO report said.

The region of the Americas with 3,28,920 suspected and confirmed CHIKV disease, reported the highest number of cases followed by the European region (56,456 confirmed cases reported predominantly from French Overseas Departments in the Indian Ocean). The region also reported 40 deaths.

In India, between 1 January and 31 March 2025, a total of 30,876 suspected cases and 1,741 confirmed cases were reported. The states reporting the highest number of confirmed cases were Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu. No deaths were reported, as per the WHO report.

Another recent study, published in the British Medical Journal (BMJ) Global Health, showed that more than 1.40 crore people worldwide could be at risk of chikungunya infection every year.

The global modelling study, led by researchers at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, stated that India could experience the biggest impacts of chikungunya, potentially putting 51 lakh people at risk of the mosquito-borne infection every year.

Brazil and Indonesia might be the second and third most affected, with impacts due to the disease in India and Brazil accounting for 48 per cent of the global impact on healthcare systems and individuals, the findings showed.

CHIKV disease is an Aedes-borne disease widely distributed in tropical and subtropical regions. While the overall fatality rate is low, severe disease can occur, especially in vulnerable populations such as infants, the elderly, and those with pre-existing conditions.

Although CHIKV is transmitted by infected female mosquitoes, most commonly Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus, which can also transmit dengue and Zika viruses, the disease can be introduced to new areas by viremic travelers and generate local transmission.

'The risk is heightened by limited population immunity in previously unaffected areas, favourable environmental conditions for the vector breeding, gaps in surveillance and diagnostic capacity, and increased human mobility and trade,' the report said. The report called for strengthening disease surveillance, enhancing vector surveillance and control, and improving public health preparedness is essential to mitigate the risk of further transmission.

/IANS