Chikungunya fever resurgence: Lacheck replace on the re-emerging public well being risk

Chikungunya is a Category III notifiable medical situation in South Africa. The illness is attributable to a mosquito-borne virus and in South Africa is usually reported in returning travellers.

From December 2024 till 28 July, the NHLS-NICD and Lancet laboratory surveillance reported a complete of ten confirmed or possible chikungunya circumstances. These circumstances concerned travellers coming back from Mauritius (n=4), Kenya (n=1), India and the Himalayas (n=1), La Réunion (n=1), Seychelles (n=1), and Madagascar (n=2).

Ongoing outbreaks

Chikungunya fever outbreaks have occurred throughout Africa, the Americas, the Caribbean, Asia, Europe, and the Indian and Pacific Oceans. As of 4 May 2025, the Americas reported the very best variety of chikungunya circumstances globally: 135,654 circumstances, together with 54,377 confirmed infections. There are present outbreaks in Africa, in La Réunion, Mayotte, Mauritius, Madagascar, Kenya, Somalia, and Sri Lanka.

Causative agent, transmission and illness signs

Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) is transmitted amongst people by way of mosquito bites from Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus. Its transmission cycle is kind of much like that of dengue viruses, with mosquitoes facilitating human-to-human transmission in city settings. Chikungunya signs embrace fever, muscle aches, rash, arthralgia, and arthritis. Although the sickness is usually self-limiting, signs could be extreme and debilitating, with arthritis often changing into power.

The danger for South Africa

Chikungunya is often reported in travellers coming back from numerous locations the place the illness is current to South Africa. Some present outbreaks are reported from in style journey areas, such because the Indian Ocean Islands, that are widespread vacation locations, thereby rising the probability of circumstances being identified and reported in South Africa.

As of July 2025, there have been ten travel-related circumstances of confirmed or possible chikungunya identified by NICD-NHLS and Lancet in South Africa. Four of the circumstances have been recognized in travellers from Mauritius, one from Kenya, one from India and the Himalayas, one from La Réunion, one from Seychelles and two from Madagascar between 11 Dec 2024 and 28 July 2025.

Recommendations for travellers:

1. Seek medical consideration throughout or after journey in the event you expertise fever, joint ache, headache, muscle aches, joint swelling, or rash. CHIKV and dengue signs normally seem shortly after coming back from affected areas on account of incubation intervals (time between mosquito chunk publicity and scientific sickness) of as much as 14 days.
2. Pregnant people are suggested to rethink journey to affected areas on account of potential well being dangers.
3. Prevent mosquito bites, particularly through the day and late afternoon. Use efficient insect repellents on uncovered pores and skin, put on long-sleeved clothes and trousers, and keep in air-conditioned or well-screened environments.
4. There are at the moment no licensed vaccines for chikungunya out there in South Africa.

READ THE FULL UPDATE HERE