On the evening of August 10, the Department of Prevention (Ministry of Health) informed about Chikungunya disease. According to the Ministry of Health, Chikungunya is caused by the Chikungunya virus (CHIKV), transmitted through Aedes mosquitoes - a type of mosquito that is active during the day. The World Health Organization (WHO) first recorded the disease in 1952 in Indonesia and warned of a rapid spread on July 22, 2025, with large outbreaks in La Reunion, Mayotte, spreading to Africa, South Asia, and Europe. Guangdong (China) has more than 4,800 cases in the first half of 2025, the highest ever; Singapore recorded 17 cases, double the same period in 2024.
Vietnam has not recorded a case, but there is a high risk of invasion due to the movement of Aedes mosquitoes and an outbreak in the area. The Department of Disease Prevention has increased medical quarantine at border gates, monitored and killed mosquitoes, eliminated land rumors, prepared human resources and materials to respond promptly when an epidemic occurs.
According to the Department of Prevention, Chikungunya is not transmitted directly from person to person but is transmitted through an intermediary, the Aedes mosquito (the same type of Aedes mosquito that transmit dengue fever). Currently, it is the rainy season in many countries in the Northern Hemisphere, creating an ideal environment for mosquito development, leading to a rapid increase in the density of mosquitoes that spread the virus; at the same time, increasing travel between countries in the summer is a favorable condition to increase the risk of spreading the disease to other regions, localities and countries.
A representative of the Department of Disease Prevention said that although Vietnam has not recorded any cases of Chikungunya in the community, however, because Aedes mosquitoes are in peak season with high mosquito density in many localities and during the summer when many tourists travel and visit Vietnam, there is a high risk of Chikungunya entering Vietnam and spreading rapidly in the residential community.
The Ministry of Health recommends that localities strengthen epidemic supervision at border gates, medical facilities and communities to detect suspected cases early, investigate and handle outbreaks, monitor disease-carrying mosquitoes; prepare well for treatment, professional qualifications, and avoid hospital overload. At the same time, implementing Chikungunya prevention combined with dengue fever control through the Langur/ case disease campaign, checking and handling mosquito breeding sites; promoting communication, health education and fully preparing resources to respond when an epidemic occurs.
" Chikungunya symptoms appear after 48 days of being bitten by a mosquito, including sudden high fever, severe joint pain, stiffness, arthritis, headache, fatigue, rash; pain and swelling in the joints are more noticeable than dengue fever. When there are signs of suspicion, it is necessary to go to a medical facility for timely examination and treatment," the Department of Prevention recommends.
