Italy is currently experiencing four clusters of autochthonous chikungunya cases in the cities of Anzio, Latina and Rome in the Lazio region, and the city of Guardavalle Marina in the Calabria region.
Two related clusters involving autochthonous transmission of chikungunya virus have been detected in the cities of Anzio and Rome. This rapid risk assessment provides detailed event background information and assesses the threat for the European Union.
This rapid risk assessment has been produced In the context of a cluster of four confirmed cases and one probable locally-acquired case of chikungunya in Var department, in southern France.
This risk assessment considers the outbreak of chikungunya on the Caribbean island of Saint Martin in early December 2013 which expanded through the Caribbean during the first half of 2014. This is the first documented autochthonous transmission of chikungunya virus in the Americas.