Costa Rica Kicks Off 2026 Winter Tourism Season Amid Chikungunya Alerts in Puntarenas

The Republic of Costa Rica's tourism sector has started the 2026 winter vacation season on a positive note, with reports of strong international arrivals.

By early February 2026, Costa Rican tourism authorities had noted bustling activity at the country's main airports: Juan Santamaría International Airport in the Central Valley and Daniel Oduber Quirós International Airport.

Like past seasons, snowbirds are attracted to Costa Rica's sunny beaches, volcanoes, rainforests, and eco-tourism options.

However, amidst this promising tourism rebound, health authorities have issued a warning regarding mosquito-borne diseases.

On January 29, 2026, the Ministry of Health confirmed a second case of Chikungunya in a resident of Esparza, Puntarenas province—the same canton where the first case was confirmed earlier in January.

Based on the onset of symptoms, the second patient may have been infected around the same time as the initial case.

Puntarenas is located in the western part of the country, covering most of Costa Rica's Pacific Ocean coast. And Esparza is situated between the mouths of the Río Barranca and the Río Jesús María rivers.

Vector control efforts in Esparza are ramping up, with teams having already fumigated 10,210 homes and buildings, applied insecticides using LECO sprayers and tractor-mounted foggers, and conducted thorough searches for individuals exhibiting fever symptoms.

These measures will continue over the next few weeks to prevent further spread of the virus.

Last year, eight cases of Chikungunya were reported, a marked improvement from 2024, when over 400 cases were reported.

The Ministry of Health has reminded the public that Chikungunya is transmitted by the same Aedes mosquitoes that spread Dengue and Zika.

Symptoms typically include fever, severe joint pain, muscle pain, headache, nausea, fatigue, and rash. While most cases are mild and resolve within weeks, joint pain can persist.

While no vaccines are required for entry into Costa Rica when traveling from the United States, chikungunya vaccines are available at travel vaccination clinics before departure abroad.

Travelers are advised to stay informed about health recommendations from the Ministry of Health, the U.S. CDC, or reliable sources such as vax-before-travel.com.