TAIPEI, July 23 — Taiwan’s Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has elevated its travel advisory for Brazil and Réunion Island (a French overseas region) to Level 2, urging travelers to be extra cautious amid a growing chikungunya outbreak.
In a press release on Wednesday, the CDC also issued Level 1 travel advisories — meaning standard precautions — for China’s Guangdong Province, Indonesia, the Philippines, India, Sri Lanka, Argentina, and Bolivia.
The CDC stated that over 250,000 chikungunya cases have been recorded globally in 2025, prompting the World Health Organization (WHO) to call for immediate international action.
Currently, the hardest-hit areas are in the Americas, particularly Brazil, Bolivia, and Argentina. In the Indian Ocean region, the virus has spread from Réunion, Mayotte, and Mauritius to surrounding areas. According to WHO’s Dr. Diana Rojas Alvarez, one-third of Réunion’s population has likely been infected.
In Asia, India alone has reported over 30,000 cases this year. In China, a localized outbreak in Foshan City (Guangdong Province) has resulted in more than 2,600 cases, mostly due to imported infections. Macau has also reported a few such cases.
As a response, several Chinese regions have issued public health warnings.
In Europe, France has confirmed 30 locally transmitted and 799 imported cases, while Italy has reported one local infection. Notably, this year’s outbreak began earlier than usual — starting in June instead of July or August.
Taiwan’s CDC said they’ve increased screenings at ports of entry, including fever checks, TOCC assessments (Travel, Occupation, Contact, Cluster), and distribution of mosquito repellents to travelers showing symptoms or coming from affected areas.
As of July 22, Taiwan has reported 15 imported chikungunya cases — the highest count in six years. Thirteen of those were linked to travel from Indonesia, while the Philippines and Sri Lanka each contributed one case. From 2020 to 2024, that number ranged from zero to five per year.
Chikungunya is transmitted via the bite of infected Aedes mosquitoes (mainly Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus). Symptoms include fever, joint and muscle pain, swelling, rashes, and headaches.
