Kentucky health officials are investigating whether a rare mosquito-borne illness from the may have found its way to Bluegrass.
Labs are awaiting results on a number of unconfirmed cases of the chikungunya virus, sometimes called “chik-v,” though they aren’t saying how many. While the virus has not been identified in Kentucky yet, neighboring states such as Indiana have confirmed cases.
Kevin Hall with the Fayette County Health Department says it's important to keep the results in perspective.
"It is worth really remembering that this is a very rare, uncommon virus, so the likelihood of somebody actually getting this is slim, but because there are some unconfirmed cases right now that the state is looking into, it's worth being aware of," he says.
So far no one has been hospitalized in Kentucky.
If contracted, chikungunya can cause high fever, rashs, and intense joint pain, but it is rarely fatal.
