Chikungunya fever transmission in the Americas

Although the intensity of the transmission of the chikungunya fever virus varies considerably among and within countries, there is on-going transmission of this virus from local mosquitoes in the following countries: Costa Rica, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Panamá, Puerto Rico, Bolivia (except at higher altitudes), Colombia (except at higher altitudes), Ecuador (except at higher altitudes), Peru (except at higher altitudes), Brazil, and Paraguay. There are no recent reports from Caribbean nations, but transmission may still be occurring, albeit at low levels.

Advice

While the risk of exposure for travellers may vary from place to place, it may be high in some localities.

All travellers to areas where chikungunya fever virus is active can reduce their risk of exposure to this virus by taking all necessary precautions to avoid mosquito bites. Many persons with chikungunya fever do not seek medical care and are not reported to health authorities. This may account for the low numbers of reported cases in many countries. There may be many more cases in the community that are not reported. Chikungunya virus infections may have long lasting health consequences.