By Eleanor Harding for the Daily Mail

Tourists warned of deadly disease sweeping islands as thousands return home with agonising symptoms

Chikungunya outbreak in the Caribbean was first reported last December

   Over 700,000 suspected cases have been reported in the region

   Health agencies say over 100 people have died from the virus

   Worst-hit nations include Dominican Republic and Martinique

British tourists in the Caribbean are being struck down by a debilitating and potentially deadly virus carried by mosquitoes.

An unprecedented outbreak of the Chikungunya virus is affecting islands including Barbados, St Lucia and the Grenadines, where many UK holidaymakers flock during the festive season.

Thousands have been hit by the illness, which leaves victims bedridden for days.

Some have reported feeling the effects for months or years after contracting the bug, and more vulnerable victims have died.

An unprecedented outbreak of the Chikungunya virus is affecting islands including Barbados, St Lucia and the Grenadines, where many UK holidaymakers flock during the festive season

Trials of an anti-viral drug in the US have had positive results, but there is currently no vaccine commercially available.

Yesterday, there were fears that British tourists may not realise the dangers until it is too late, amid reports that tour operators are playing down the problem.

Chikungunya, which is contracted through mosquito bites, causes a sudden onset of fever and agonising joint pain, particularly affecting the hands, wrists, ankles and feet.

British tourists and expats are among hundreds of thousands of cases reported since the beginning of the outbreak last year.

Dr Saranthdany Xavier, a doctor on Bequia island in St Vincent and the Grenadines who contracted the disease, said: ‘The outbreak began here in April and since then there have been about 2,000 cases in the country as a whole.

‘From August, it has been calming down but we are still treating a few cases.

‘Lots of my friends have come down with it. The mosquitoes … bite everyone the same.’

Shavern Ollivierre, of the community group Action Bequia, said: ‘I had it back in May and it was really quite painful for three days.

‘It’s a very grave problem … in the entire region.

‘I’ve got a lot of family in Barbados and it is rampant there.’

According to the Caribbean Public Health Agency, there have been 165 confirmed cases in St Vincent and the Grenadines – and locals say the suspected number is much higher.

In Barbados, there were 58 confirmed diagnoses and 1,258 suspected sufferers.

The Dominican Republic had six deaths, with 498,916 suspected cases, while Martinique has had 1,515 diagnoses, 74 deaths and 68,140 suspected sufferers.

The disease has spread into Nicaragua, Honduras and other countries in central and South America. Between 65,000 and 117,000 people are estimated to be infected in Venezuela.

As of last month, a total of 739,410 suspected cases and 118 deaths have been reported in the Caribbean and the Americas.

But health officials warned the true numbers could be higher as some countries have been slow in testing and reporting.

It is feared the virus could spread from Bequia to the nearby private island of Mustique, which is a favourite among celebrities and royalty.

The Duchess of Cambridge holidayed there with Prince George in February.

Yesterday there was anecdotal evidence that some businesses want to play down the dangers.

One British expat in Bequia, who said her husband had been in ‘sheer agony’ from the virus, described it as a ‘dirty little secret’.

She added: ‘Visitors and tourism are a vital part of the economy … There are concerns that news is getting out and the tourists aren’t coming.’

Chikungunya was first reported in the region by the World Health Organisation last December.

It said the outbreak was ‘unprecedented’. There have since been cases in Montpellier, France – prompting fears it could spread to the UK.

WHAT IS CHIKUNGUNYA?

Chikungunya is a viral disease transmitted by infected female mosquitoes with symptoms including high fever, headaches, rashes and severe joint pain.

After being bitten the onset of illness occurs usually between four and eight days but can range from two to 12.

There is no vaccine or cure and treatment is focused on relieving the symptoms.

Most patients recover fully but in some cases joint pain may persist for several months or even years.

Occasional cases of eye, neurological and heart complications have been reported, in addition to gastrointestinal complaints.

Serious complications are not common, but in older people, the disease can contribute to the cause of death.

The disease was first described during an outbreak in Tanzania in 1952 and has spread to nearly 40 countries in Asia, Africa, the Americas and Europe.

Europe’s first transmission was reported during a localised outbreak that affected nearly 200 people in north-eastern Italy in 2007.

Last month, France confirmed four cases of ‘locally-acquired’ infection in Montpellier.

Since 2005, India, Indonesia, Thailand, Maldives and Myanmar have reported over 1.9 million cases.

Experts say chikungunya shares some clinical signs with dengue and can be misdiagnosed in areas where dengue is common.

The name ‘chikungunya’ derives from a word in the Kimakonde language, meaning ‘to become contorted’ and describes the stooped appearance of sufferers with joint pain.

Source: World Health Organisation

IMAGES:

An unprecedented outbreak of the Chikungunya virus is affecting islands including Barbados, St Lucia and the Grenadines, where many UK holidaymakers flock during the festive season

Popular tourist destinations such as the Dominican Republic are among the worst-hit nations

A tourist makes a purchase at a fruit and vegetable market in Grenada, where some Brits have fallen ill

The majority of UK cases are associated with travel to South and South East Asia, say experts

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