Federal officials this week issued a travel advisory for Costa Rica due to an outbreak of the mosquito-borne chikungunya virus.
Meanwhile, the U.S. Embassy for Costa Rica, which also released a health alert this week, said a statement from Costa Rica’s Ministry of Health earlier this month declared a chikungunya outbreak in Playa Langosta in which 45 cases are suspected, with four confirmed and 17 classified as possible. Costa Rican nationals and foreigners were both impacted, the embassy added.
“Local transmission means the virus is now circulating in the local mosquito population in that area, not just arriving via travelers,” the embassy said in an advisory. “Playa Langosta and the surrounding Guanacaste coast are common destinations for U.S. citizens.”
The alert was sent for Playa Langosta, Santa Cruz, and Guanacaste in Costa Rica.
A U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) notice updated July 16 advised of a “Level 2—Practice Enhanced Precautions” warning for Costa Rica.
“You can protect yourself by preventing mosquito bites, which includes using insect repellent, wearing long-sleeved shirts and pants, and staying in places with air conditioning or that have screens on the windows and doors,” the CDC said. “Vaccination is recommended for travelers who are visiting an area with a chikungunya outbreak.”
Pregnant women are advised not to travel to the country, the CDC said, noting that newborns infected with chikungunya are at risk of “severe illness, including poor long-term outcomes.”
A CDC update issued for July 14 said that in 2026, 75 cases of the virus have been reported across the United States and in U.S. territories, but all of them are associated with travel.
The chikungunya virus was first identified in people during an outbreak in Tanzania in 1952. Its name is derived from a word in the Makonde language, which means “that which bends up,” due to the severe pain it can cause, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
Chikungunya is transmitted by infected mosquitoes and mostly causes mild symptoms. The majority of people who contract chikungunya recover after one to two weeks without needing medical attention.
Chikungunya symptoms can include fever, muscle pain, nausea, fatigue, and a rash. In rare cases it can cause debilitating joint pain that persists for months or even years, the WHO says on its website.
Patients who get severely ill often require hospitalization because of the risk of organ damage. The WHO says severe cases and deaths are rare and occur mostly in babies or elderly people with underlying health conditions.
