Should Singaporeans Be Concerned About the Rise in Chikungunya Virus Infections?

The Republic has experienced an uptick in chikungunya infections—caused by a mosquito-borne virus—with reported cases so far in 2025 exceeding the total number seen in 2024.

- Zhaki Abdullah

According to the weekly infectious disease bulletin by the Communicable Diseases Agency (CDA), there have been 21 cases of chikungunya fever in 2025 as at Aug 16, compared with 10 cases reported for the same period in 2024, and 15 cases for the entirety of that year.

Chikungunya infections are also surging worldwide, with the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) reporting more than 240,000 cases around the globe.

Simply Science examines what is causing the spike in cases and whether Singaporeans should be concerned.

WHAT IS CHIKUNGUNYA, AND WHY ARE INFECTION NUMBERS GOING UP?

Chikungunya is a viral disease, whose symptoms include high fever as well as severe muscle and joint pain.

It is spread by two species of mosquitoes, Aedes albopictus and Aedes aegypti, which are also responsible for spreading other diseases such as dengue and Zika.

Like dengue, there is currently no specific treatment for chikungunya.

Chikungunya—which has a mortality rate of fewer than one in 1,000—is typically less severe than dengue, though its symptoms, such as prolonged joint and muscle pain, can be debilitating for seniors.

CDA cited the presence of the Aedes albopictus and Aedes aegypti mosquito species here and the importation of chikungunya by travelers carrying the virus as risk factors for the spread of the disease.

The agency identified climate change as a factor in chikungunya outbreaks in the Americas, Asia, and Europe.

The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control noted Europe is experiencing longer and more intense transmission seasons for such mosquito-borne diseases as a result of climatic changes, such as rising temperatures and longer summer seasons.