Costa Rica confirms 47 cases of chikungunya with local transmission. Costa Rica has confirmed 47 cases of chikungunya, compared to 11 reported weeks earlier. Local transmission has been detected in the provinces of Guanacaste and Alajuela, with community outbreaks in Playa Langosta and El Coyol. Guanacaste has accumulated 18 cases linked to outbreaks, distributed among Playa Langosta, Huacas, Tamarindo, Sardinal, Belén, and Flamingo. Alajuela has registered 16 cases, 13 of which are associated with the El Coyol outbreak.
Isolated and imported cases have also been detected in other locations. The outbreaks are believed to have originated from imported cases, primarily from Nicaragua, followed by local transmission via Aedes aegypti mosquitoes. All patients have been treated on an outpatient basis, and no hospitalizations, severe cases, or deaths have been reported. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued a Level 2 travel advisory, recommending increased precautions against mosquito bites, especially in Guanacaste, but not advising against travel. Authorities are maintaining surveillance, fumigation, and the elimination of breeding sites.
