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During the summer of 2025, the global Chikungunya outbreak continues to expand, with reported travel-related cases on the southeast coast of the People's Republic of China.
China's Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health (DH) announced today that an outbreak of the mosquito-transmitted Chikungunya fever (CF) has occurred in Shunde, Guangdong, which began in July 2025 and was triggered by imported cases.
As of July 15, 2025, a total of 478 confirmed cases have been reported, all of which exhibited mild symptoms.
According to the information provided by Guangdong Province, the current CF outbreak mainly occurred in the towns of Lecong, Beijiao, and Chencun in Shunde, which are not popular tourist destinations for Hong Kong citizens.
While no confirmed cases of CF have been reported in Hong Kong so far this year, the risk of imported cases has increased due to frequent travel between Guangdong and Hong Kong.
Hong Kong is a favorite destination for international travelers, welcoming over 40 million visitors in 2024.
Between 2016 and 2019, the number of imported CF cases recorded in Hong Kong ranged from one to 11 each year. There have been no CF cases in Hong Kong since 2020.
The CHP is closely monitoring the trend of CF in neighboring areas.
Off China's east coast, Taiwan has reported Chikungunya cases in 2025.
As of July 16, 2025, Chikungunya vaccines were unavailable in China; however, they have become commercially available in various countries, such as the United States. Since Chikungunya is a vaccine-preventable disease, health agencies recommend vaccination before visiting Chikungunya outbreaks.
The Romanian Government recently posted on Facebook that a confirmed case of malaria has been reported by the Public Health Directorate of the Municipality of Bucharest, in a resident with no history of recent travel abroad.
As of July 10, 2025, the Ministry of Health reported that there have been 21 travel-related malaria cases this year, and this new case is the first locally acquired case.
Since malaria is a mosquito-borne disease, this report raises concerns regarding potential additional local cases in Romania.
Currently, malaria vaccines are offered in various African countries, but not in Romania or the United States.
As the prolonged civil unrest continues to challenge the government of Haiti, the western part of the island of Hispaniola remains at risk for international visitors.
Haiti has been under a State of Emergency since March 2024.
According to the U.S. Department of State's updated Level 4: Do Not Travel advisory, as of July 15, 2025, civil unrest continues, and access to healthcare services in Haiti remains very limited for both residents and visitors.
Furthermore, the U.S. government has limited ability to assist U.S. citizens in Haiti. Local police and first responders often lack sufficient resources.
U.S. government employees working in Haiti must obtain special permission to travel outside the embassy compound due to security risks, and Embassy personnel are prohibited from traveling on foot in the capital city of Port-au-Prince.
Additionally, do not cross the land border between Haiti and the Dominican Republic, as the roads from major Haitian cities to the border pose significant dangers.
In addition to the U.S., the UK's Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office has issued similar advice for Haiti in 2025. If you choose to travel, obtain appropriate travel insurance that covers your itinerary, planned activities, and expenses in the event of an emergency.
From a health perspective, the U.S. CDC recommends that international travelers planning to visit Haiti speak with a travel vaccine consultant at least one month before departure to obtain the necessary vaccinations and medical supplies.
The CDC highlights travel vaccines, including those for chikungunya, cholera, and rabies, before visiting Haiti.
This year, four people in Florida have died from an infection caused by a bacterium commonly known as the "flesh-eating" bacterium. To date, 11 infections in various countries have been reported this year from this waterborne and foodborne pathogen.
As of July 11, 2025, the Florida Department of Health reported that fatalities had occurred in Hillsborough, Bay, Broward, and St. Johns counties.
In 2024, Citrus, Hernando, Hillsborough, Lee, Pasco, Pinellas, and Sarasota Counties experienced an unusual increase due to the impacts of Hurricane Helene. Florida reported 82 cases and 19 fatalities last year.
During 2024, Pinellas County (Tampa Bay) led all Florida counties with 15 cases and three deaths.
The disease is caused by Vibrio vulnificus, a bacterium that thrives in warm water and is termed "halophilic" because it requires salt to survive, as stated by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Importantly, individuals who are immunocompromised or have a weakened immune system should wear proper foot protection to prevent cuts and injuries caused by rocks and shells on the beach, according to the CDC.
Additionally, thousands of cases are related to the consumption of contaminated food.
The CDC estimates that approximately 80,000 cases occur each year, leading to about 100 deaths annually.
The CDC recommends avoiding contact with open wounds from brackish water, salt water, and raw seafood, and thoroughly cooking oysters and other seafood before eating, to prevent infection and illness.
As of July 15, 2025, there are no approved vaccines to prevent Vibrio vulnificus-related illness.
The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) recently reported very positive news regarding the multi-year outbreak of dengue fever in the Region of the Americas.
On July 10, 2025, the PAHO reported In the epidemiological week #25 of 2025, a total of 3,349,004 suspected cases of dengue were reported this year. This data represents a significant 70% decrease compared to the same period in 2024 and an 11% decrease compared to the average of the last five years.
Additionally, a total of 1,600 fatalities have been recorded, resulting in a case fatality rate of 0.048%.
While the majority of dengue cases have been reported in Brazil, Mexico's dengue outbreak remains a concern in 2025.
Mexico has reported 49,085 cases and 2,352 related fatalities this year.
From a sub-type perspective, Brazil, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Mexico and Panama report the simultaneous circulation of DENV1, DENV-2, DENV-3, and DENV-4.
This PAHO data indicates the need for international travelers to obtain dengue vaccinations may diminish during the summer of 2025. In the United States, only Puerto Rico offers dengue vaccinations.
India is a tropical country undergoing rapid urbanization, making it one of the most affected regions for vector-borne diseases, including Chikungunya Fever.
Epidemics of Chikungunya have been reported since 1963 and continue to occur, with the most recent outbreak recorded in 2025, particularly in the states of Maharashtra and Karnataka.
As of July 14, 2025, India's National Center for Vector-Borne Diseases Control had reported a total of 30,876 Chikungunya cases this year.
However, according to local news reports, the number of Chikungunya cases in India may be underreported as the rainy season approaches due to issues with diagnostic testing.
Blood tests diagnose Chikungunya. However, since the clinical appearance of both Chikungunya and Dengue is similar, laboratory confirmation is crucial, especially in areas where Dengue is prevalent.
Furthermore, the U.S. CDC says laboratory testing practices for Chikungunya vary significantly among the 100 countries reporting cases.
In Bhopal, the capital city of the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh, a higher positivity rate for Chikungunya was recently detected at 7.02% compared to Dengue's 2.47% in July 2025.
In 2024, Bhopal reported a 16% positivity rate for Chikungunya.
Since millions of international travelers visit India each year, various health agencies have issued vaccination recommendations.
To prevent infections, the CDC recommends that Chikungunya vaccination may be considered for individuals traveling to or moving to India, particularly if they plan to stay for an extended period.
When departing from the United States for India, travel vaccine clinics and pharmacies offer Chikungunya vaccination services for a fee.
Since the summer of 2024, countries in the Region of the Americas have reported low numbers of Oropouche cases. In the past, Oropouche virus has caused periodic outbreaks in and around the Amazon Basin.
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the countries most impacted include Brazil, Cuba, Panama (specifically, the Darién Province), and Peru.
Furthermore, countries such as Spain have reported Oropouche cases in travelers to the Americas in 2025.
The disease is primarily spread through bites from infected midges and mosquitoes.
The CDC's updated Travel Health Advisory says travelers visiting affected areas should take steps to prevent bug bites and consider using condoms or not having sex during travel and for six weeks after returning from travel.
As of July 14, 2025, the CDC stated the Oropouche virus has been found in semen, but it is unknown if it can be spread through sex.
Currently, there is no preventive vaccine available.
As the summer vacation season peaks in late July, international travelers should be aware of where the measles virus is spreading.
According to data from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), 529 laboratory-confirmed cases of measles were reported in England in 2025.
The unfortunate leader is London, with 44% (233 of 529) of these cases.
Other measles outbreaks have been reported in the East of England, the North West, Bristol, Hackney, and Leeds.
To alert all travelers, the U.S. CDC updated its Level 1 - Practice Usual Precautions, Global Measles alert at the end of May 2025.
The UK's NHS says Measles is an infection that spreads very easily in areas such as airplanes, trains, and closed spaces like conference centers.
However, obtaining the MMR vaccine is the best way to prevent infection.
In the United States, MMR vaccines are available at clinics and pharmacies. The CDC recommends vaccination weeks ahead to visiting measles-risk areas in 2025.
