A mosquito has arrived: deadly chikungunya fever has been registered in Russia
The first two imported cases of the dangerous tropical chikungunya fever have been identified in Russia. Two citizens who returned from vacation in Sri Lanka fell ill with it. About the dangers of chikungunya fever and how to avoid infection, see the Izvestia article.
Chikungunya fever in Russia: what is known
The first two imported cases of the dangerous tropical chikungunya fever have been identified in Russia. Two Russians from Balashikha near Moscow, who were vacationing in Sri Lanka, fell ill with it. They were hospitalized in a moderate condition, a source told Izvestia on August 29.
"The patients were vacationing together in Sri Lanka from August 17th to August 26th. They showed symptoms of intoxication and fever at the airport," the source said. According to him, the 28-year-old and 37-year-old men were admitted to the hospital in Ramenskoye.
Rospotrebnadzor has already reminded that there are no risks of fever spreading in the Russian Federation, since it is not transmitted from person to person, and it is possible to become infected only through insect bites.
"There are no risks of infection spreading in the country, as chikungunya fever is not transmitted from person to person, but only through insect bites. At the moment, the number of fever-carrying mosquitoes in the Russian Federation does not pose an epidemiological danger," the ministry's press service said.
Earlier, the RPN explained that the Perimeter system is used to ensure security at the border, which makes it possible to identify citizens with signs of infectious diseases. In addition, domestic test systems are used for these purposes.
Tourists traveling to Asian and African countries were advised to avoid insect bites by using insect repellents, mosquito nets on doors and windows, bed curtains and wearing skin—covering clothing.
What is chikungunya fever, what is the danger?
Throughout August, the disease was actively spreading in China: more than 10,000 cases of chikungunya fever were detected in Guangdong province. The sources of infection, which, however, is not transmitted from person to person, can be both Russians who have returned from Asia and residents of Asian countries who have arrived in Russia.
The disease is transmitted by Aedes mosquitoes, which also live in our country. These mosquitoes can lead to human infection with dengue fever, yellow fever or the Zika virus, immunologist Mikhail Bolkov told Izvestia.
In Russia, this type of insect is found mainly in the southern regions, said Gennady Onishchenko, an epidemiologist and former chief sanitary officer of the country. According to him, there is a risk of infection in the regions located on the border with China — in the Primorsky and Khabarovsk Territories and the Amur Region.
The virus was first identified in 1952 in Tanzania, then it became known in other countries of Africa and Asia, and later it began to be registered in Europe and the United States, mainly due to tourists. Although the disease is not transmitted from person to person, it can be contracted by contact with the patient's blood. It is also possible to transmit the disease from mother to fetus.
One of the largest outbreaks of chikungunya fever in 20 years was reported by the Russian Embassy in Sri Lanka in late May, and China reported the outbreak in August.
At the end of July 2025, WHO reported that cases of local transmission of chikungunya fever had been detected in France and Italy. They noted that there is a risk of spreading the disease around the world, and if people in a country have weak immunity, there is a risk of infection for up to 25% of residents, the WHO noted.
There have been no outbreaks of the virus in Russia so far. As Vladimir Nikiforov, head of the Department of Infectious Diseases and Epidemiology at the Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University, explained to Izvestia, there will be no pandemic because it requires an infected mosquito. But even if the insect can get to Russia by plane, it is unlikely to take root: the climate in the regions of our country differs significantly from the subtropical one. However, if the climate in Russia continues to change, the likelihood of chikugunya spreading in Russia may increase in the future.
Symptoms of chikungunya fever
The main symptoms of fever are high fever up to 40 degrees and severe joint pain. Muscle pain and rash are also possible. There may be cardiovascular complications and lesions of other organs that appear 2-12 days after the bite.
Hemorrhagic rashes also form on the internal organs. There is a thickening and intravascular coagulation of blood, the formation of blood clots. In critical cases, vital organs such as the kidneys or liver may fail.
The danger of contracting fever lies in the fact that the vaccine against it has not yet been widely introduced. Patients are treated with antipyretics and suitable painkillers, as well as heavy drinking and rest.
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