Chikungunya cases jump from 18 to 1,027 in one year in a city in Bahia

Feira de Santana confirmed 1,027 cases of chikungunya between January and September this year. The number represents an increase of more than 5,600% compared to 2025.

The Queimadinha, Tomba, Mochila and Cidade Nova neighborhoods require more attention. The Department of Health trained professionals to improve diagnoses and care.

Laboratory investigation includes RT-PCR and serological tests in UPAs and polyclinics. People should avoid standing water and use repellents.

Feira de Santana, the second largest city in Bahia, confirmed 1,027 cases of chikungunya between January and September this year. The number represents an increase of more than 5,600% compared to the same period in 2025, when 18 confirmed cases of the disease were recorded.

According to the Municipal Health Department (SMS), 1,765 suspected chikungunya cases were reported in the first nine months of this year. In the same period last year, there were 29 notifications.

Among the areas that registered the most cases are the Queimadinha, Tomba, Mochila and Cidade Nova neighborhoods. According to Epidemiological Surveillance, records in these locations help guide the work of agents to combat endemic diseases.

Given the increase in records, the Municipal Health Department intensified the training of professionals from public and private networks to improve the diagnosis, notification and care of patients suspected of having arboviruses, diseases transmitted mainly by the Aedes aegypti mosquito.

Symptoms and diagnosis

Chikungunya can cause fever, severe joint pain, swelling, headache, muscle pain, nausea and skin blemishes. Joint pain can affect the hands, wrists, ankles and shoulders.

The guidance from the Municipal Health Department is that people with symptoms compatible with arboviruses should seek a health unit for evaluation and monitoring.

Laboratory investigation can also help differentiate diseases. According to Epidemiological Surveillance guidelines, the RT-PCR test is recommended from the first to the fifth day after the onset of symptoms. From the sixth day onwards, serological tests can be carried out, according to clinical indication and current protocols.

In Feira de Santana, collection for laboratory investigation is carried out in the Emergency Care Units (UPAs), in the Specialized Health Center (CSE), located on Rua Francisco Martins, in the Ponto Central neighborhood, and in polyclinics. The samples are sent to the Central Public Health Laboratory (Lacen).

Prevention

The population must avoid the accumulation of stagnant water in containers, keep water tanks and reservoirs covered and regularly clean places used for water storage. The use of repellents is also recommended.

According to Epidemiological Surveillance, the increase in chikungunya cases is above what is expected for seasonality, which requires integrated actions between health services, vector control teams and the population.