When I first heard a news story on the radio about the chikungunya virus, listening phonetically, I’ll admit that my mind went right to chickens and bird virus. Further context in the broadcast proved me wrong. It just goes to show, listening thoroughly is supremely important. It was not a poultry story but another mosquito borne virus. It’s in the news because there is an outbreak in China affecting over 10,000 people. As we learned with COVID-19, viruses know no borders.

The word chikungunya is from the Makonde language of Tanzania. It means, “that which bends up” or “one who bends over.” The word was used to name the stooped posture of people suffering from the severe joint pain of the virus.

Symptoms begin three to seven days after an infected mosquito bite. Most common are fever and

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