Chikungunya in 2026: Where It's Spreading and Who Should Consider the Vaccine

Chikungunya has had the kind of two years that put a once-obscure virus firmly on the travel-health map. 2025 was chikungunya's biggest year in a decade — more than half a million cases reported across 41 countries — and 2026 has kept the pressure on, with large outbreaks across South America, continuing spread in the Indian Ocean islands, and even locally caught cases in mainland France this summer.

It's showing up in UK clinics too. UKHSA figures show 160 chikungunya cases in returning UK travellers in 2025 — the highest since 2014 — and another 59 in just the first half of 2026, with Sri Lanka the single most common country of travel. That's why we're seeing more questions about it at the clinic than ever before, and why the UK now has two licensed chikungunya vaccines — with very different rules about who can have them.

Here's the picture as of late August 2026, and how to think about protection for your own trip.

What is chikungunya?

Chikungunya is a viral infection spread by Aedes mosquitoes — the same daytime-biting mosquitoes that spread dengue and Zika. The name comes from a Makonde word meaning "that which bends up", which tells you the story: its signature is sudden fever with severe joint pain, often in the hands, wrists, ankles and knees.

Most people recover within a week or two, but the joint pain is the sting in the tail — for some travellers it lingers for weeks or months after everything else has settled. There's no specific antiviral treatment; care is rest, fluids and pain relief. Deaths are rare and mostly in older people, newborns and those with significant health conditions — but with case numbers this high, rare events add up, which is why the current wave is being taken seriously.

Where are the outbreaks right now?

This is the late-August 2026 picture from the surveillance sources we use in clinic (TravelHealthPro, WHO, ECDC and PAHO). Outbreaks move — we check the live position for your exact destinations at your appointment.

The Americas — the 2026 epicentre. Around 174,000 of this year's cases have been in the Americas. Brazil has the largest burden (over 100,000 cases so far this year), with major activity in Bolivia and Argentina, plus outbreaks in Cuba, Suriname and French Guiana. Costa Rica declared its first chikungunya outbreak in around a decade in July — centred on Guanacaste, one of its most popular beach regions — and Nicaragua reported rising cases in August.

The Indian Ocean. The huge Réunion epidemic of 2024–25 officially ended last summer, but the region hasn't gone quiet: Mauritius has been Africa's most affected country in 2026 with an outbreak notice issued as recently as July, and the Seychelles has ongoing transmission that has already shown up in European travellers returning home. Madagascar reported an outbreak earlier this year. These are premium UK honeymoon and winter-sun destinations — worth a travel-health conversation before you fly.

South Asia. India is reporting the highest numbers in Asia this year, and Sri Lanka's major epidemic is the top source of chikungunya brought back to the UK in 2026. If you're visiting family or touring either country, this one is directly relevant to you.

Firsts and surprises. Guinea confirmed its first-ever locally caught case in July; the Philippines reported its first cases of 2026; and China's Guangdong province had its largest documented outbreak in summer 2025.

Europe. France has recorded 25 locally acquired cases this summer in the south-west, after Italy recorded 384 locally acquired cases in 2025. Nobody is suggesting vaccination for a French holiday — but it shows how far Aedes mosquitoes have pushed north, and why bite avoidance matters even closer to home.

The two UK vaccines — and the important differences

Since 2025 the UK has licensed two chikungunya vaccines — both available at our chikungunya vaccine clinic. They are not interchangeable, and the rules about who can have IXCHIQ changed as recently as February 2026 — so if you read something older, it may be out of date.

Vimkunya (Bavarian Nordic) is a non-live vaccine (a virus-like-particle vaccine, given as a single dose). It was licensed in the UK in May 2025 and is approved from age 12 upwards with no upper age limit — so it's the option for older travellers. Because it isn't a live vaccine, being immunosuppressed doesn't rule it out, although the immune response may be reduced and data in this group is limited. It has no current safety restrictions from the UK regulator, though as a newer vaccine its real-world track record is still building.

IXCHIQ (Valneva) is a live vaccine (also a single dose). Following a safety review, the UK regulator (MHRA) now licenses it only for people aged 18 to 59, and it must not be used by anyone with high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, diabetes or chronic kidney disease, nor by anyone with a weakened immune system or a history of thymus problems. It also needs to be given at least 30 days before travel. Within those boundaries it remains an option for fit younger adults, but the eligibility questions are exactly what a proper consultation is for.

If you're 60 or over, the practical summary is simple: IXCHIQ is not available to you in the UK, but Vimkunya is.

Who should actually consider vaccination?

UK advice (from the JCVI, adopted by TravelHealthPro) is that chikungunya vaccination may be considered — always alongside rigorous bite avoidance, never instead of it — for:

• Travellers to regions with an active chikungunya outbreak (which currently includes several of the destinations above)
• Long-term or frequent travellers to regions that have had transmission in the past five years
• Laboratory workers who handle the virus

For a typical one-week resort holiday, the answer is genuinely individual: it depends on where exactly you're going, whether there's an active outbreak there, how long you're staying, your age and health, and how much rural or outdoor exposure your trip involves. That's a fifteen-minute conversation with our pharmacist, not a checkbox — book a consultation and we'll assess it properly for your itinerary.

Bite avoidance is still the foundation

Whatever you decide about vaccination, the mosquitoes that carry chikungunya bite during the day — so bed nets alone don't cover you, and neither does only applying repellent at dusk. The essentials:

• A good repellent (we advise on suitable strengths, including for children and pregnancy) applied through the day
• Loose, long-sleeved clothing, especially morning and late afternoon
• Screened or air-conditioned accommodation where possible

The same measures protect you against dengue and Zika, which circulate in many of the same places. Our mosquito bite protection guide covers the details.

Planning your trip: the practical bit

• Timing matters. IXCHIQ must be given at least 30 days pre-travel, and any vaccine needs time to work — so the ideal moment to talk about chikungunya is 4–6 weeks before you fly. Travelling sooner? Still come in: bite-avoidance planning and a proper risk assessment are worth having at any notice.
• Both vaccines are private, prescription-only medicines. There's no NHS chikungunya programme, so a travel clinic consultation is the route — we're a pharmacist-led travel clinic in Timperley, serving Altrincham and the wider Manchester area, with evening and weekend appointments.
• Combine it with the rest of your travel health. Most chikungunya destinations also raise questions about hepatitis A, typhoid, malaria tablets or a yellow fever certificate — one consultation covers the lot.

Frequently asked questions

Is there a chikungunya outbreak in Mauritius or Sri Lanka right now? As of late August 2026, yes — both have active outbreak notices, and Sri Lanka is the most common source of chikungunya in returning UK travellers this year. Check with us close to your departure date, as outbreak status changes.

Can over-60s have a chikungunya vaccine? Yes — Vimkunya has no upper age limit and is the option for travellers aged 60 and over. IXCHIQ is not licensed for anyone 60+ in the UK following the February 2026 safety review.

Is the chikungunya vaccine live? One of each: IXCHIQ is live (which is why it carries age, health and immune-system restrictions), Vimkunya is not. Which one suits you — if either — is decided at your consultation.

How long before travel do I need the vaccine? IXCHIQ must be given at least 30 days before travel. For Vimkunya, allow a few weeks for the best protection. Either way, 4–6 weeks ahead is the sweet spot for planning.

Do I need it for a short beach holiday? Not automatically. It depends on the destination's current outbreak status, your length of stay, your age and health, and what you'll be doing. Bite avoidance is recommended for everyone; the vaccine is a case-by-case decision we'll make with you.

Can I get a chikungunya vaccine on the NHS? No — both vaccines are private in the UK. They're available through travel clinics like ours after an individual risk assessment.

If you're heading to any of the outbreak regions — or you're just not sure whether your destination is affected — book online or call us on 0161 948 5066. Same-day and next-day appointments are usually available at our Timperley clinic, seven days a week.

Sources

• TravelHealthPro — Chikungunya factsheet and vaccination information (NaTHNaC)
• JCVI advice on chikungunya vaccines for UK travellers, 16 July 2025
• MHRA Drug Safety Update — IXCHIQ restrictions following safety review, February 2026
• UKHSA — rise in chikungunya cases in UK travellers
• ECDC — chikungunya worldwide monthly overview
• WHO — chikungunya rapid risk assessment, April 2026
• PAHO — epidemiological alert on chikungunya in the Americas, February 2026

This article is for general information and has been reviewed by our superintendent pharmacist. It isn't a substitute for personal medical advice — vaccine suitability is always assessed individually at your consultation.