Overview
- State testing at the Wadsworth Center confirmed infection in a Long Island resident, the first U.S. locally acquired case since 2019 and the first ever in New York.
- The individual developed symptoms in August after travel outside the region but not internationally, and investigators say a mosquito bite is the likely source.
- Routine surveillance has detected no chikungunya in local mosquito pools, and officials report no evidence of ongoing transmission.
- Aedes albopictus and Aedes aegypti mosquitoes capable of carrying the virus are present in parts of downstate New York.
- Health officials urge use of EPA-registered repellents, protective clothing, and removal of standing water as the investigation continues and seasonal cooling suppresses mosquito activity.