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Chikungunya Virus on the Island of St. Martin and in Martinique. Situation as of 12/27/2013

Local transmission of the Chikungunya virus has been detected on the island of Saint Martin since the last week of November 2013 (week 48). This is the first time this virus has been detected in the Americas-Caribbean region. The InVS Regional Unit (Cire) for the Antilles-Guyana region and the Regional Health Agency (ARS) of Guadeloupe immediately implemented epidemiological and microbiological surveillance. The data from this surveillance led to the declaration of an epidemic phase on December 6, in accordance with the Surveillance, Alert, and Risk Management Program for the Emergence of the Chikungunya Virus (Psage Chikungunya). Furthermore, given the potential for the disease to be introduced and spread in Saint-Barthélemy, Martinique, Guadeloupe, and French Guiana, enhanced surveillance for Chikungunya cases was also implemented on these islands. On December 18, this surveillance detected two confirmed locally acquired cases in Martinique and one case in French Guiana, imported from Martinique. On December 24, the first locally acquired case was confirmed in Guadeloupe. Epidemiological information on the evolution of Chikungunya virus circulation in the Antilles-Guyana region is updated weekly by the Cire Antilles-Guyana and available in its weekly epidemiological report.