An unprecedented situation arose during the summer of 2025, with the first locally acquired cases of Chikungunya virus disease detected as early as June, notably affecting the Grand Est region for the very first time.
Since the beginning of 2025, France has reported 480 cases of Chikungunya virus infection.
In mid-September 2025, the French Health Ministry reported 97 new locally acquired cases of Chikungunya in thirty-eight active clusters. The largest cluster is located in Antibes and consists of 87 cases.
This area of France’s Mediterranean coast is a popular vacation destination, located between Cannes and Nice.
The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) stated on September 12, 2025, that Chikungunya is not endemic in mainland Europe, with the majority of cases being travel-related.
However, when environmental conditions are favourable, in areas where the Aedes aegypti mosquito is established, viraemic travel-related cases may lead to local transmission of the virus, as demonstrated by the sporadic events of chikungunya virus transmission since 2007.
For more information on locally acquired Chikungunya cases in Europe, refer to the ECDC’s seasonal surveillance report.
In addition to avoiding mosquito bites, the French and U.S. governments have approved vaccines for use in areas with Chikungunya outbreaks.
As of September 22, 2025, the U.S. CDC advises international travelers to speak with a travel vaccine expert regarding immunization options before traveling abroad.