Holidaymakers have been warned by health authorities about mosquito bites after a rise in travel-associated chikungunya cases in England.
Some 73 cases have been reported between January and June this year, compared to 27 over the same period in 2024.
The majority of those with the virus reported visiting Sri Lanka, India and Mauritius, which the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) say is linked with ongoing local outbreaks in the Indian Ocean.
All cases were reported in England, with the majority in London. However, the UKHSA says that “there is currently no risk of onward transmission of chikungunya in the UK.”
“There are only 2 species of mosquito that transmit the disease and they are not established in the UK at present,” it said. “This is because our climate is generally not suitable for their survival and breeding.”
Dr Philip Veal, a consultant in public health at UKHSA, said it is essential to take precaution against mosquito bites when travelling.
Here is what travellers need to know about the virus, plus advice from a specialist travel doctor on how to best prepare for travelling overseas.
What is chikungunya and how is it spread?
Chikungunya virus disease is a mosquito-borne disease that is found across tropical and sub-tropical regions.
It is spread to humans by a bite from an infected mosquito. It cannot be passed from human to human.
Most cases have been found in the Americas, Africa and Asia. Brazil has had the most cases in 2025 (more than 185,000), followed by Bolivia with more than 4,700.
In total, there have been approximately 240,000 chikungunya cases and 90 related deaths across 16 countries or territories since the beginning of the year.
La Réunion and Mayotte, two French islands off the east coast of Africa, have ongoing outbreaks of chikungunya, with the former recording 54,000 cases as of July 2025.
As of the beginning of July 2025, over 35,000 cases were reported in Asian countries such as India, Sri Lanka, Mauritius, Pakistan and China.
Almost 8,000 instances of the chikungunya virus have been diagnosed in China, mostly in Foshan city in Guangdong province. It has prompted authorities to impose forceful measures including mass quarantines, although the virus is not spread person to person.
Cases have also been reported in Senegal and Kenya, while European countries have…
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