New York: With a new assay developed in the US, health workers now have a quick way to detect whether or not a sample of mosquitoes harbours the virus that causes chikungunya (CHIKV) within an hour.

This is expected to cut down the waiting time for results of laboratory tests that take days, or even weeks. Chikungunya is transmitted by the bite of infective female Aedes mosquitoes. Victims experience fever and pain and swelling of muscles and joints.