CHIKUNGUNYA AROUND THE WORLD
- CHIKV has been known to circulate in Africa, Asia and the Indian subcontinent.14
- Since 2004, outbreaks of CHIKV have become more frequent and widespread, partly due to viral adaptions allowing the virus to be spread more easily by Aedes albopictus.6
- In 2007, disease transmission was reported for the first time in Europe.14
- In 2013, the CHIKV was detected for the first time in the Region of the Americas – ever since, the virus has spread throughout most of the Region.14
- CHIKV has now been identified in over 110 countries in Asia, Africa, Europe and the Americas.6
Over 1/3 of the global population lives in areas with risk factors for infection.15
Percentage of affected population
77.9 %
Of the global population is affected by CHIKV, according to the 2015 estimates given in the United States Census Bureau’s International Database.16
As reported in 2014, the majority of provinces in Canada have identified at least one imported case of travel-related chikungunya. This surge in Canadian infections has been associated with the incursion of CHIKV into the Caribbean and the expansion of the virus in the Americas.
Sporadic outbreaks have been reported in other regions.17
Global transmission (as of April 30, 2023)18
- Current or previous local transmission
- No current or previous local transmission
The majority of cases have been reported in the Americas from Brazil (192,822), Paraguay (101,963), Argentina (1,593), Bolivia (1,311), and in Asia from Thailand (598).19
Does not include countries or territories where only imported cases have been documented. Small island nations might not display on the map.
Recent CHIKV outbreaks
- In 2023 and as of July 26th, approximately 300,000 cases and over 300 deaths associated with CHIKV have been reported worldwide.19
As of 2023, over
3.5 million cases
have been reported in the Americas.2
Who is at risk?
Persons at risk for severe disease include:12
Persons with underlying medical conditions (hypertension, diabetes, or cardiovascular disease)
The risk of infection is highest for travellers going to countries experiencing ongoing CHIKV outbreaks in the Americas, parts of Africa and Asia, with the transmission patterns shifting frequently over time.20
Canadians make over 2.5 million visits to Caribbean countries per year and also travel in significant numbers to the Asia-Pacific region where continuing outbreaks of chikungunya and other mosquito-borne diseases are increasing, and Canadian cases have been identified.17
Infected travellers who return home to areas where chikungunya is endemic could give rise to local clusters or outbreaks.20*
*In temperate climates, Aedes mosquitoes are generally only active during the summer.