JONATHAN M. METSCH – Tracking Emerging Public Health Challenges – April 3, 2026 – Chikungunya
With most infections in 2025 reported between April and September, the UKHSA assert that these data highlight the importance of protecting yourself against biting insects during Easter and spring travel breaks abroad.”
“Meanwhile, Dr Philip Veal, consultant in public health at UKHSA, said: ‘For some people chikungunya can be a prolonged and nasty disease and we continue to see cases in travellers returning to the UK, particularly from parts of Asia and the Indian Ocean region.’”
“All infections were travel-associated, with the majority linked to Sri Lanka, India and Bangladesh. This finding is consistent with the global picture, with the World Health Organization (WHO) reporting several significant chikungunya outbreaks globally in 2025, including large outbreaks in countries across the Indian Ocean region.” (2)
1.First European human case of H9N2 bird flu reported in Italy: What you need to know, by Ed Hutchinson, https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-03-european-human-case-h9n2-bird.html#google_vignette
2.Chikungunya cases hit 10-year high in England, By Cahal McQuillan, https://www.thepharmacist.co.uk/clinical/vaccinations-and-infections/chikungunya-cases-hit-10-year-high-in-england/
curated by Jonathan M. Metsch, Dr.P.H.
Clinical Professor of Environmental Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai