Beyond dengue: The mosquito-borne virus that could be our next big outbreak

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Beyond dengue: The mosquito-borne virus that could be our next big outbreak

Chikungunya, a mosquito-borne virus often overshadowed by dengue, is re-emerging across Asia with new mutations, increased urban transmission, and reports of more severe symptoms. Although usually non-fatal, the virus can cause chronic illness with serious social and economic consequences.

In a commentary published by The Straits Times on 9 September 2025, scientists from Duke-NUS Medical School’s Centre for Outbreak Preparedness, Nanyang Technological University-Singapore’s Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Woodlands Health, and the A*STAR Infectious Diseases Labs emphasise the urgent need for greater regional coordination, funding, and preparedness to contain the outbreak.

Working alongside partners in Sri Lanka and across the region, the researchers are addressing critical knowledge gaps to guide public health strategies.

Key messages include:

Chikungunya, though rarely fatal, can lead to chronic, debilitating illness, placing significant strain on individuals and healthcare systems.
Effective diagnostics are urgently needed. Early symptoms often overlap with dengue, leptospirosis, and other diseases, making accurate diagnosis and timely appropriate treatment difficult.
Robust disease surveillance is critical to understand how the virus is mutating and spreading, so that public health authorities can respond quickly and effectively.
By building on long-standing collaborations with regional partners, Singapore has the opportunity to gain early insights into outbreaks before they reach its shores.
Singapore’s preparedness is strongest when part of a coordinated regional response, aligning strategies across borders to tackle shared threats.
Sustained investment in outbreak preparedness is essential to protect the region - and more cost-effective than responding only after an outbreak is underway.

Read the full article at The Straits Times (subscription required).

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