Overview
- Costa Rica’s Ministry of Health declared an active chikungunya outbreak on July 1, 2026 after reporting four confirmed cases and 17 probable cases concentrated in Guanacaste tourist areas including Playa Langosta and Tamarindo.
- The U.S. CDC issued a Level 2 Travel Health Notice for Guanacaste that advises enhanced mosquito-bite prevention, recommends vaccination for eligible travelers, and asks pregnant women, especially those close to delivery, to reconsider travel.
- Costa Rican health teams have carried out vector-control work, fumigating about 5,000 homes and removing mosquito breeding sites while authorities continue case finding and local surveillance.
- Chikungunya spreads by Aedes mosquitoes, typically causes fever and severe joint pain three to seven days after a bite, has no specific antiviral treatment, and can produce long-lasting joint pain or pose a risk to newborns infected around the time of birth.
- Regional health bodies view the outbreak as part of a broader Americas resurgence after a February PAHO alert, and officials warn that continued transmission could disrupt local tourism and require sustained mosquito-control and traveler vigilance.