Chikungunya strikes women, middle-aged hardest, study finds

By Pranavesh Sivakumar

Colombo, June 14 (Daily Mirror) - Women appear more susceptible to chikungunya, with 58.6% of reported cases affecting females, compared to 42.6% among males, according to a recent situation analysis from the Ministry of Health’s Epidemiology Unit.

The data, released in May, covers infections recorded since November and suggests a notable gender disparity in exposure to mosquitoes that transmit the virus.

Broken down by age, the highest number of chikungunya cases was recorded among individuals aged 41 to 60, accounting for 45% of total infections, according to the Health Ministry’s Epidemiology Unit.

Those aged 21 to 40 made up 28% of cases, while seniors aged 60 and above followed closely behind, reflecting a broader vulnerability across older age groups.

This is, however, defies specialist’s diagnosis of elderly people are more prone to the disease.

Since November 2024, cases of chikungunya have been reported through the Event-Based Surveillance (EBS) system, according to the Health Ministry’s Epidemiology Unit.

Sentinel site surveillance was simultaneously launched in the Colombo, Gampaha and Kandy Districts.

The reporting system was later expanded to include additional districts nationwide, enabling the detection and reporting of suspected chikungunya cases beyond the initial surveillance zones.

The Western Province has recorded the highest number of chikungunya cases during the outbreak, with Colombo District accounting for 63.4 per cent, according to the latest survey by the Epidemiology Unit.

Gampaha trails with 18.3 per cent, while the Colombo Municipal Council area—considered a separate entity for health reporting—along with Kandy and Jaffna, have reported only a limited number of cases.

Colombo alone has logged approximately 200 cases, while Gampaha is estimated to have between 100 and 200 cases, the survey stated.

Meanwhile, Jaffna and Kandy are at the beginning stage with 20-50 reported cases todate.