What do I need to know before I travel?
Public Health Scotland logo

Fit for Travel Logo

Information on how to stay safe and healthy abroad. About us.

Chikungunya in Italy (Rome, Lazio & Calabria) (Update 5)

25 Oct 2017

On 21 October 2017 the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) reported reported 358 cases of chikungunya in Italy to 13 October 2017.

Of these, 297 cases have been reported in Lazio, the region around Rome. An additional 3 cases with travel history to the area have been reported from: Emilia-Romagna (1 case), Marche (1 case) and France (1 case).

In Calabria, in the far south, 54 cases have been reported in Guardavalle Marina. Additional cases with history of travel to Guardavalle Marina have been reported from Emilia-Romagna (3 cases) and Germany (1 case).

Advice for Travellers

No vaccine is available against chikungunya. Avoidance of mosquito bites is the only reliable means of prevention. Methods of bite avoidance include:

  • Wearing long, loose, lightly coloured clothing to cover up the skin.
  • The use of insect repellant containing DEET  applied to any exposed skin.
  • The use of permethrin, impregnated mosquito nets.
  • The use of air conditioning if available and/or mesh screening of windows and doors.
  • Eradication of mosquito breeding sites around the home (e.g. open containers, old tyres or flower pots that may collect water).

Currently, there are restrictions on donating blood following travel to some parts of Italy.

For further information see Chikungunya Fever.