Public health officials say Delaware has recorded its first case of a mosquito-borne virus that has been spreading in the U.S. from the Caribbean.
The Division of Public Health said in a news release on Thursday that the chikungunya virus has been diagnosed in a 51-year-old Sussex County man.
Officials say the virus is linked to the man's recent travel to the Caribbean. Authorities say the man was treated for his symptoms earlier this month and was never admitted to a hospital.
Chikungunya virus is rarely fatal. Infected people typically suffer fever, severe joint pain and swelling, muscle aches, headaches or rash. Patients usually recover in about a week, although some people suffer long-term joint pain. There is no vaccine and no specific treatment.
