Spain: 2019 Chikungunya - Iceland gov says further tests did not confirm

[Shiloh]

Source: https://www.theolivepress.es/spain-n...-are-infected/

BREAKING: First chikungunya outbreak in Spain as three tourists on the Costa Blanca are infected
The virus was confirmed after the three tourists returned to Iceland following a holiday in Alicante
By Joshua Parfitt -
15 Jun, 2019 @ 12:290


THE first chikungunya outbreak has been recorded in Spain as three tourists on the Costa Blanca were confirmed infected.

The infection was confirmed from Reykjavik, where the three Icelandic tourists returned after holidaying in Alicante at the end of May.

The first case was recorded as a 37-year-old woman entered a Reykjavik hospital suffering a high fever on June 1.

By June 8, analysis confirmed the virus to be chikungunya ? the first localised transmission recorded in Spain.

The woman?s sister and niece also tested positive to the virus...

[sharon sanders]

21/6/19
Icelanders considered to be infected with Chikungunya virus probably do not have the infection

Recently, news has emerged that four of the Icelanders who stayed in Alicante in Spain recently infected Chikungunya virus. Three individuals reside in Iceland and one in Norway. Initial studies indicated that Chikungunyavirus infections have been confirmed, but further testing has not confirmed the infection in Iceland and abroad.
In the coming days, it is planned to carry out further verification tests on Icelanders in Iceland, which will ultimately determine whether or not the above infection was involved.
The above individuals have been informed of this conclusion as well as partners in Spain.
All ways will be sought in the future to prevent such events from recurring.

https://www.landlaeknir.is/um-embaet...-med-sykinguna

[Gert van der Hoek]

Chikungunya - Spain - 2019

date: 17 June 2019 Latest update: 20 June 2019

Epidemiological summary

On 14 June 2019, Iceland reported four cases of chikungunya virus disease associated with travel to Alicante, Valencian Community, Spain, from 17?31 May 2019. The four cases travelled together. One case resides in Norway, while the others reside in Iceland. The three cases residing in Iceland had onset of symptoms on 28 May 2019, 1 June 2019 and an unknown date.

The cases reported having rash, fever, joint pain and retro-orbital pain. While the RT-PCR was positive, the serology IGM/IgG remained negative. The case residing in Norway had onset of symptoms on 7 June 2019 and reported fever and joint pain. The RT-PCR was negative, but the serology showed IgM positive and IgG negative results. Additional molecular characterisation (RT-PCR and sequencing) is being performed in order to clarify the laboratory findings and confirm the diagnosis.

To date, no cases among Spanish residents were detected. The public health authorities in Spain have initiated epidemiological investigations and implemented public health measures.

Sources: Information from national authorities | El Pa?s | El Mundo

ECDC assessment

A cluster of travel-related chikungunya virus disease cases infected in areas of the EU where Aedes albopictus is established, as it is in Alicante, can occur even though May is very early in the year.

No autochthonous cases among Spanish residents have been detected so far. Epidemiological and entomological investigations are ongoing in Spain. Molecular characterisation of chikungunya virus would inform the assessment of the risk of transmission. Actions ECDC is monitoring this event through epidemic intelligence activities and preparing a rapid risk assessment.

[Gert van der Hoek]

A 'laboratory error' led to a false diagnosis of Chikungunya in a hospital, Spain remains free of tropical viruses.

June 28, 2019

An Icelandic hospital has admitted a "laboratory error" after having falsely diagnosed three patients with Chikungunya earlier this month.
The Nordic country activated a European alert on June 12 to warn Spain that a mother, 37 years old, her son, 5 years old and a sister had contracted the virus while they were in Alicante between May 17 and 31.

Upon returning to his country, the trio suffered fevers, rashes and joint pains compatible with the symptoms of the Chikungunya virus, transmitted by mosquitoes.

However, a government official has said the diagnosis was a mistake.

"The laboratory has explained to us that it found the cause of the error, which has already been corrected," Thorolfur Gudnason, head of epidemiology at the Health Ministry of Iceland, told El Pais.

"We have informed all competent authorities of this unfortunate incident, including the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), WHO and the Spanish Ministry of Health."

The erroneous warning, made public by the Generalitat Valenciana on June 14, had great relevance since it would have been the first case of local transmission of Chikungunya in Spain.