• Warns on chikungunya outbreaks in Indian Ocean region

Amid the growing chikungunya outbreak in several Indian Ocean countries, including in Sri Lanka, the Governments of the United States (US) and the United Kingdom (UK) have issued travel advisories for their citizens.

Last week, the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), under the Department of Health, released two important updates to warn international travellers about various chikungunya outbreaks in the Indian Ocean region. The CDC also expanded vaccination options and adopted the vaccine recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunisation Practices for certain people travelling to, or living in, countries or regions where there is a risk of the mosquito-borne chikungunya virus.

As a result, on 12 May, the CDC issued a Level 2—Practice Enhanced Precautions notice, stating that mosquitoes are currently spreading the virus that causes chikungunya in Mauritius, Mayotte, Réunion, Somalia, and Sri Lanka.

Meanwhile, the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has also issued travel warnings for its citizens travelling to Sri Lanka, following confirmation from the Ministry of Health regarding the ongoing chikungunya outbreak.

Last week, International Society for Infectious Diseases President-elect Professor Neelika Malavige, stated that Sri Lanka is facing a major outbreak of the chikungunya virus, nearly 20 years since the last significant occurrence. In a post shared on ‘X’ (formerly known as Twitter), Professor Malavige said that whole-genome sequencing was carried out using the Oxford Nanopore analysis system to identify the virus strain. She noted that the current strain belongs to the Indian Ocean lineage (IOL) and shows several unique mutations. She further stated that Sri Lanka has been experiencing this major chikungunya outbreak since the end of 2024, after 16 years.

By 10 April, 190 suspected chikungunya cases had been reported, with 65 confirmed, mostly from the Western Province. Dengue is also spreading, with 87 patients, including staff, reportedly receiving treatment earlier at the Ratnapura Teaching Hospital. 

Meanwhile, health officials warn that the ongoing rains have increased the risk of dengue and chikungunya spreading. Also, the Public Health Inspectors’ Union explained that chikungunya is transmitted by the same mosquitoes that spread dengue, and added that, as a result, the public is being educated to regularly clean their surroundings to eliminate mosquito breeding sites.