CDC issues travel warning over chikungunya outbreak in China

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A sanitation worker sprays insecticide to prevent the spread of Chikungunya on August 3, 2025 in Dongguan, Guangdong Province of China. (Photo by VCG/VCG via Getty Images)

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is warning travelers about an outbreak of chikungunya in Guangdong Province, China.

Why you should care:

U.S. health officials have raised the travel alert to Level 2, which means travelers should practice enhanced precautions. 

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Individuals can protect themselves from chikungunya by avoiding mosquito bites—this includes using insect repellent, wearing long-sleeved shirts and pants, and staying in air-conditioned or screened-in locations. 

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For those traveling to areas with a chikungunya outbreak, vaccination is recommended, and two vaccines are currently approved for use in the United States.

What is chikungunya?

Dig deeper:

Chikungunya is a mosquito-borne infection.

Chikungunya is spread to people by the bites of infected mosquitoes. It causes fever and severe joint pain, but deaths are rare, according to the World Health Organization.

China had its first chikungunya spike in 2010 with 253 cases in Dongguan, a nearby city in the same province, according to the Guangdong provincial CDC. Several cases were found in years since then, but they weren’t widespread.

The country’s first case was imported in 1987, according to research papers and media reports.