Top 5 things to know as chikungunya spreads to holiday hotspots
Chikungunya is a category 3 notifiable medical condition in South Africa and is caused by the mosquito-borne chikungunya virus transmitted mainly by the Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus mosquitoes.
While the disease is endemic in parts of Africa, Asia, the Americas and the Pacific, sporadic cases in South Africa are mostly linked to travellers returning from outbreak areas.
1. Imported cases in 2025
Between December 2024 and July 28, South Africa recorded 10 laboratory-confirmed cases of chikungunya, all in returning travellers. Travel histories showed:
four cases from Mauritius;
one from Kenya;
one from India and the Himalayas;
one from La Réunion;
one from Seychelles; and
two cases from Madagascar.
2. Global outbreak hotspots
'By May 2025, the Americas reported the highest number of chikungunya cases globally — 135,654, including 54,377 confirmed infections,' said the NICD. Outbreaks have been reported in La Réunion, Mayotte, Mauritius, Madagascar, Kenya, Somalia and Sri Lanka. La Réunion has seen more than 47,500 cases and 12 deaths this year.
3. How the virus spreads
Chikungunya is not spread person-to-person. Local outbreaks can occur when a viremic traveller is bitten by an Aedes mosquito which then transmits the virus to other residents. 'The presence of Aedes aegypti in urban areas means the risk of potential local outbreaks should be considered, especially along the east coast, in KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape, and in Gauteng,' the NICD warned.
4. Symptoms and diagnosis
Common symptoms include fever, muscle aches, rash, joint pain (arthralgia) and arthritis. Though usually self-limiting, the illness can be severe and occasionally lead to chronic arthritis. Diagnosis is based on symptoms, travel history and confirmed through RT-PCR or serology testing available at the NICD/NHLS and private labs.
5. Prevention and travel advice
The NICD advised people to 'prevent mosquito bites, especially during the day and late afternoon.'
Recommended measures include:
using insect repellent on exposed skin;
wearing long-sleeved clothing and trousers; and
staying in air-conditioned or screened environments.
Pregnant women are advised to reconsider travel to outbreak areas due to possible health risks. There is no widely available vaccine for chikungunya and none is available in South Africa.
The NICD said travellers should seek medical care if they experience fever, joint pain, headache, muscle aches, swelling or rash within 14 days of returning from an affected region.
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