Overview

• The WHO has issued a global alert after detecting Chikungunya in 119 countries and warning that 5.6 billion people are at risk.
• Authorities in Foshan, South China, have reported over 2,600 cases and designated more than 3,600 mosquito-protected hospital beds for treatment.
• An autochthonous case confirmed in Alsace underscores the virus’s capacity for local transmission beyond traditional tropical and subtropical zones.
• Germany’s STIKO now recommends travel vaccination for individuals aged 12 and over, and two EU-approved vaccines—Vimkunya and Ixchiq—are available.
• Climate change and globalization have facilitated the establishment of Aedes albopictus and Aedes aegypti in temperate regions, heightening concerns of further spread.