Overview
- Travel Health Pro, backed by the UK Foreign Office, issued a new alert that flags high risk in parts of Africa, Central and South America, and Trinidad.
- The service reported 346 confirmed cases and 143 deaths in South and Central America in 2025, a 5.6-fold rise from 2024.
- Since early 2026, officials have logged 41 confirmed cases and 18 deaths in Bolivia, Colombia, Peru and Venezuela.
- Cases now extend beyond the Amazon region into areas like São Paulo state in Brazil and Tolima in Colombia, which raises concern about spillover near cities.
- WHO says transmission risk remains high in endemic African countries and warns of under-reporting, while UK travellers are urged to get vaccinated and note the £60–£85 cost outside the NHS.