{"id":111724,"date":"2025-08-14T09:30:00","date_gmt":"2025-08-14T08:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/uk\/?p=111724"},"modified":"2025-08-14T08:55:05","modified_gmt":"2025-08-14T07:55:05","slug":"uk-travellers-warned-chikungunya-cases-surge","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/uk\/uk-travellers-warned-chikungunya-cases-surge\/","title":{"rendered":"UK Travellers Warned as Chikungunya Cases Surge After Trips to Asia and Indian Ocean"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has issued a health alert after an increase in imported cases of chikungunya<\/em><\/strong> <\/strong>and, for the first time, Oropouche<\/em> virus. The warning comes as international travel rebounds and mosquito-borne illnesses gain ground in traditionally non-endemic areas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Both viruses are transmitted through insect bites and cannot be passed from person to person, but the risks they pose\u2014especially to vulnerable groups\u2014are being taken seriously by public health authorities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Imported Chikungunya Cases Triple Compared to Last Year<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

According to the UKHSA, 73 cases of chikungunya<\/em><\/strong> have been recorded in the UK from January to June 2025. This marks a significant rise compared to 27 cases during the same period in 2024<\/strong>. The majority of these recent cases were detected in London<\/em> and were linked to travel <\/a>to Sri Lanka<\/em>, India<\/em>, and Mauritius<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The chikungunya<\/em> virus is transmitted by the Aedes<\/em> mosquito, which is not present in the UK<\/strong>, meaning all infections were acquired abroad. Symptoms typically include fever, rash and severe joint pain<\/strong>, which in some cases may persist for months or even years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dr Philip Veal<\/em><\/a>, Consultant in Public Health at the UKHSA, described the rise as \u201cworrying\u201d, noting that the resurgence of vector-borne viruses in global hotspots coincides with a notable increase in overseas travel. \u201cSimple steps, such as using insect repellent, covering up your skin and sleeping under insecticide-treated bed nets can greatly reduce the risk.\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Though chikungunya<\/em> is commonly found in parts of Asia<\/em> and Africa<\/em>, there has been a documented spread into parts of <\/strong>Europe<\/em><\/strong> <\/strong>and North America<\/em><\/strong> this year, suggesting wider ecological changes and vector migration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

First Oropouche Cases Confirmed in Returning Travellers<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The UK has also recorded its first known cases of the <\/strong>Oropouche<\/em><\/strong> virus<\/strong>, with three confirmed infections in travellers returning from Brazil<\/em>. The virus, identified in the 1950s in Trinidad and Tobago<\/em>, is spread by mosquitoes and midges, and was once largely confined to the Amazon basin<\/em>. It is now being detected more frequently in Dominican Republic<\/em>, Cuba<\/em>, and Peru<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Symptoms of Oropouche<\/em> include fever, headache, muscle pain, joint pain, and vomiting<\/strong>. While most individuals recover without treatment, the illness can be more serious in elderly individuals or those with weakened immune systems<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The UKHSA is advising travellers returning from Central America<\/em>, South America<\/em>, or the Caribbean<\/em> to seek medical advice if they experience flu-like symptoms. Vaccines for chikungunya<\/em> are currently available through private travel clinics in the UK<\/strong>, but there is no approved vaccine or specific treatment for Oropouche<\/em> at this time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Health authorities emphasise that preventive measures remain the most effective defence<\/strong>. With vector-borne diseases no longer confined to the tropics, public health guidance is adapting to a rapidly changing global risk landscape.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

A mosquito-borne virus is making a quiet return to the UK\u2014but not from within. As holidaymakers come back from Asia and the Indian Ocean, rising cases of chikungunya are prompting warnings from health officials.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10,"featured_media":111726,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[44],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-111724","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","generate-columns","tablet-grid-50","mobile-grid-100","grid-parent","grid-33","no-featured-image-padding"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/111724","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/10"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=111724"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/111724\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":111727,"href":"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/111724\/revisions\/111727"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/111726"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=111724"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=111724"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=111724"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}