Costa Rica is experiencing a resurgence of chikungunya in 2026, nearly a decade after the last local transmission. The Costa Rican Social Security System (CCSS) has registered 438 cases related to the disease, including 338 in emergency services and 100 in outpatient clinics. The Ministry of Health confirms 48 cases, with local transmission identified in the North Central and Chorotega regions. The first imported cases appeared in January, but community spread was subsequently established.
Local transmission hotspots have been identified in Guanacaste (Playa Langosta, Huacas, Tamarindo, Sardinal, Belén, Flamingo) and Alajuela (El Coyol). Rainfall, even brief episodes, could favor the proliferation of the Aedes aegypti mosquito vector, increasing the risk of more cases.
