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UKHSA reports 73 travel\u2011associated chikungunya infections in England in the first half of 2025 \u2014 the highest six\u2011month total on record \u2014 while the first imported Oropouche virus cases are identified; two newly approved chikungunya vaccines are being offered privately at travel clinics.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Holidaymakers have been urged to take extra precautions against mosquito and midge bites after UK health authorities recorded a sharp rise in chikungunya infections among travellers returning to Britain and the first imported cases of Oropouche virus.<\/p>\n
Official surveillance published by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) shows 73 travel-associated chikungunya cases were reported in England between January and June 2025, up from 27 during the same period in 2024 \u2014 the highest half\u2011year total on record. Most infections were linked to travel to Sri Lanka, India and Mauritius, and all were reported in England, concentrated in London. The UKHSA\u2019s travel\u2011associated infections report and accompanying statement make clear this reflects infections acquired abroad, rather than onward transmission within the UK. <\/p>\n
The rise comes against a backdrop of renewed vaccine activity. The UK\u2019s medicines regulator approved a live\u2011attenuated chikungunya vaccine, marketed as IXCHIQ, in February 2025 and a virus\u2011like\u2011particle vaccine, Vimkunya, in May 2025. The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) said IXCHIQ was authorised on 4 February 2025 for adults and described the approval as part of broader preparedness for arboviral threats; Vimkunya received a variation to its marketing authorisation on 1 May 2025 for people aged 12 years and older. The UKHSA has advised that the two vaccines are now available privately, following assessment by a healthcare professional at travel clinics, and noted slightly different age\u2011banding in its travel guidance: UKHSA lists IXCHIQ for 18\u201359 year\u2011olds while the MHRA\u2019s authorisation language refers to adults aged 18 and over. <\/p>\n
Dr Philip Veal, a consultant in public health at UKHSA, emphasised the clinical impact of chikungunya in a UKHSA statement, saying: \u201cChikungunya can be a nasty disease and we\u2019re seeing a worrying increase in cases among travellers returning to the UK\u2026 it can cause severe joint and muscle pain\u2026 [and] joint pain may last for months or longer.\u201d He reiterated straightforward protective measures \u2014 insect repellent, covering exposed skin and sleeping under insecticide\u2011treated nets \u2014 and advised travellers to consult the TravelHealthPro guidance before departure. The UKHSA report also notes that, while most people recover in one to two weeks, a minority experience persistent joint pain for months or even years, with follow\u2011up data indicating long\u2011term discomfort in a measurable fraction of cases. <\/p>\n
The agency confirmed there is currently no risk of chikungunya becoming established in the UK because the two Aedes mosquito species that transmit the virus are not established here. MHRA and UKHSA materials state that the vaccines will, for the time being, be supplied through private travel clinics rather than routinely via the National Health Service; travel clinics have already begun offering bookings and clinical assessments, illustrating how new travel vaccines commonly enter practice in the private sector. <\/p>\n
Separately, UKHSA detected three imported cases of Oropouche virus all linked to travel from Brazil \u2014 the first such cases reported in the UK. The World Health Organization has documented a marked geographic spread of Oropouche since late 2023 and says the virus is primarily transmitted by biting midges (and possibly some mosquitoes). WHO guidance warns that Oropouche symptoms mirror other arboviral fevers such as dengue and chikungunya, that there is no specific treatment or vaccine, and that severe complications (including occasional neurologic involvement) and potential risks in pregnancy have prompted heightened surveillance in the Americas. UKHSA therefore urged anyone who becomes unwell after travel to affected areas to seek urgent medical advice. <\/p>\n
The travel\u2011associated infections report also highlighted a small cluster of cholera cases among returning travellers and a substantial fall in dengue notifications compared with 2024. Public health officials framed the chikungunya rise as an international phenomenon: 2025 has seen outbreaks across parts of Asia, the Indian Ocean islands and the Americas, underscoring how travellers can both acquire and import vector\u2011borne infections even where local transmission at home remains unlikely. <\/p>\n
For travellers, the practical message remains unchanged: assess destination\u2011specific risk well before departure, consider vaccination where clinically appropriate and available, and prioritise bite\u2011avoidance. Health authorities recommend consulting TravelHealthPro and speaking to a travel\u2011health professional at least four to six weeks before travel so a personalised risk assessment can determine whether vaccination or other measures are advisable.<\/p>\n