The New York State Department of Health confirmed a locally acquired case of chikungunya virus in an individual living in Nassau County on Long Island. State health officials said it’s the first reported transmission of the illness within the United States since 2019. Rare Mosquito-Borne Virus Reportedly Detected In United States The individual started experiencing symptoms in August after traveling outside of the region but not the country, the Associated Press noted. "Chikungunya is a virus that's spread by mosquitoes. You can't get it from another person, but mosquitoes do get it from biting a person who is infected. Chikungunya symptoms typically include fever and joint pain, as well as headache, nausea, red eyes, a rash, and fatigue," WebMD stated. A resident of Long Island in New York State has tested positive for Chikungunya virus, marking the first locally acquired case in the United States in six years, according to the New York State Department of Health.⁠⁠Chikungunya is a virus that's spread by mosquitoes. You… pic.twitter.com/dJ7XopPfsO — WebMD (@WebMD) October 16, 2025 More from the Associated Press: It’s not clear how exactly the person, whom authorities have not named, contracted the virus. Health officials say the person was likely bit by an infected mosquito, but they also say the virus has not been detected in local mosquito pools and there is no evidence of ongoing transmission. The type of mosquito known to carry chikungunya is present in parts of the New York City metropolitan area, including suburban Long Island. The disease cannot be spread directly from one person to another. Since mosquitoes are less active during the fall’s cooler temperatures, the current risk of transmission is “very low,” said state Health Commissioner James McDonald. “While the case is classified as locally acquired based on current information, the precise source of exposure is not known," health officials said, according to ABC News. The New York State Department of Health has confirmed a case of locally acquired chikungunya on Long Island, marking the first case of the virus reported to be locally acquired in New York and the first locally acquired case to be reported in the United States since 2019.… pic.twitter.com/ndqYWGoKAQ — Yahoo News (@YahooNews) October 15, 2025 ABC News shared further info: The illness is rarely fatal, and most patients recover within a week, though some may experience persistent joint pain, authorities continued. “People at higher risk for severe disease include newborns infected around the time of birth, adults aged 65 and older, and individuals with chronic conditions such as high blood pressure, diabetes or heart disease,” according to the New York State Department of Health. The Aedes albopictus mosquito, which is known to transmit chikungunya, is present in parts of downstate New York and local transmission can occur when an A. albopictus mosquito bites an infected traveler, becomes infected and bites another person. “Our Wadsworth Center has confirmed this test result, which is the first known case of locally acquired Chikungunya in New York State. Given the much colder nighttime temperatures, the current risk in New York is very low.” State Health Commissioner Dr. James McDonald said. “We urge everyone to take simple precautions to protect themselves and their families from mosquito bites.” In 2025, there have been three additional chikungunya cases outside New York City that were all linked to international travel to regions with active chikungunya infections, according to health officials.

According to multiple outlets, a Russian investment envoy pitched the idea of constructing a “Putin-Trump” rail tunnel under the Bering Strait to connect the two countries. CNBC reports the envoy proposed that Elon Musk and The Boring Company take on the project. The outlet added that President Trump said the idea was “interesting” and he would think about it. JUST IN – Kirill Dmitriev, Putin's investment envoy and head of Russia's RDIF sovereign wealth fund, proposes $8B "Putin-Trump tunnel," built by Elon Musk, to link Russia and U.S. — Reuters pic.twitter.com/Grx6qbiL6n — Disclose.tv (@disclosetv) October 17, 2025 USA TODAY shared: The proposal by Kirill Dmitriev, President Vladimir Putin’s investment envoy and head of Russia’s RDIF sovereign wealth fund, envisages a construction project costing $8 billion funded by Moscow and “international partners” to build a 70-mile rail and cargo link in under eight years. Dmitriev, who has helped spearhead a Russian charm offensive designed to revive U.S.-Russia ties, floated the tunnel idea late on Thursday, Oct. 16, after Putin spoke to U.S. President Donald Trump by phone and agreed to meet in Budapest to try to find a way to stop the war in Ukraine. “The dream of a US–Russia link via the Bering Strait reflects an enduring vision — from the 1904 Siberia–Alaska railway to Russia’s 2007 plan. RDIF has studied existing proposals, including the US–Canada–Russia–China railroad, and will support the most viable,” Dmitriev wrote on X. The Bering Strait, which is 51 miles wide at its narrowest point, separates Russia’s Chukotka region from Alaska. Ideas to link the two points have been around for at least 150 years, with various projects drawn up but never implemented. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he’s “not happy” about the idea. Footage below: BREAKING: President Trump says he finds the idea of a Putin–Trump tunnel between Russia and Alaska proposed yesterday “interesting.” Zelensky is “not happy with this idea.” The tunnel discussions begin! https://t.co/boCVb8xqjl pic.twitter.com/Gl4YXEc7Sh — Kirill Dmitriev (@kadmitriev) October 17, 2025 CNBC has more: A tunnel like this would traditionally cost an estimated $65 billion to build, said Dmitriev, who is head of Russia’s sovereign wealth fund, adding that The Boring Company and its technology could potentially reduce those costs to $8 billion and complete the project within eight years. “Let’s build a future together!” he wrote. Dmitriev’s suggestion followed a call between Putin and Trump on Thursday, during which plans were made to discuss possible resolutions to the Ukraine War. Trump said Secretary of State Marco Rubio and other high-level advisors will meet next week with a Russian delegation before Trump and Putin meet in Budapest, Hungary, at a future date. Musk did not respond to a request for comment about the proposal. Construction of an undersea tunnel in the Bering Strait would require Musk’s Boring Company to work through below-freezing temperatures in a region without existing infrastructure and with deep and frequent earthquakes. The Boring Company has no track record of working through such conditions. Its previous tunneling efforts were completed in hot, dry locations with plenty of infrastructure and services nearby.

In a move that shattered years of official silence, Judge Bradford L. Thomas, a respected former appellate judge in Florida, went on record before state lawmakers — confirming the federal government has spent billions on covert chemtrails [...] The post Florida Judge Blows the Whistle: U.S. Gov’t Spent $6.5 Billion on Chemtrails — Without Public Consent appeared first on The People's Voice.

They call him a titan of finance, the CEO of the world’s largest asset manager. But behind the public veneer, some believe Larry Fink is articulating a chilling doctrine: depopulation is not an anomaly to be feared — [...] The post BlackRock CEO Says Global Elite Must Cull Billions of Humans to Reach ‘Elevated Standard of Living’ appeared first on The People's Voice.

Former CNN anchor Don Lemon ignited fresh outrage after telling listeners on a recent podcast that “Black people, Brown people of all stripes … go out … and get a gun” so they’ll be ready to “knock some sense” [...] The post Don Lemon Sparks Uproar After Telling Minorities to ‘Arm Up’ and ‘Knock Sense’ Into ICE Agents appeared first on The People's Voice.

Former national security advisor John Bolton pleaded not guilty to 18 criminal charges related to the mishandling of classified information.

The U.S. Military is holding survivors from a suspected drug-trafficking vessel that was struck in the Caribbean earlier this week. The detentions appear to be the first known instance in which survivors have been taken into custody after a U.S. maritime strike in the region.

President Trump again raised the issue of the Senate “Blue Slips” policy. As he said, it prevents him from appointing Republican candidates for US attorneys in certain states. He currently has eight waiting in the wings. He can only appoint Democrats for these states, which he says is unfair and unconstitutional. Trump wrote on social […] The post President Trump Brings Up the “Unconstitutional” Blue Slips appeared first on www.independentsentinel.com.