Report: U.S. Considering China Travel Warning Over Chikungunya Outbreak

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is reportedly getting ready to issue a travel alert for China because of an increasing chikungunya outbreak in Guangdong Province.

Chikungunya is a virus spread primarily by mosquitoes that has been recorded in other areas of the world, including in Africa, the Americas, and Europe. The virus causes fever and joint pain, and can also cause headaches, muscle pain, joint swelling, and rashes in infected people.

There is no treatment for the virus—the CDC says that “the best way to prevent chikungunya is to protect yourself from mosquito bites,” and that “vaccination is recommended for some travelers.”

Nearly 5,000 cases have been recorded in China since early July, particularly in Guangdong, China’s most populous province that borders Hong Kong and Macau. According to the European Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, as of early June 2025, approximately 220,000 cases and 80 deaths have been reported in 14 countries or territories.

Currently, the CDC has no Level 4: Avoid All Travel, or Level 3: Reconsider All Nonessential Travel warnings. It has some Level 2: Practice Enhanced Precautions warnings for Mpox in Liberia and Sierra Leone, and Yellow Fever in South America. It also has a Level 2 warning for Chikungunya near the Indian Ocean.