In mainland France, more than a hundred indigenous cases have been detected since early May.
The number of indigenous cases explodes in France. In his latest assessment published on August 13, Public Health France brought in 115 cases in mainland France since early May, compared to 63 a week earlier. “The number of transmission foci illustrates the significant risk of indigenous transmission of these viruses in France, warns the public health agency. Other cases will probably be identified, including outside the usual transmission areas.” Several important homes, with up to 23 cases, have been identified: in the Bouches du Rhône, in Hérault, in Gard and in Corsica.
Where have indigenous cases been detected this year?
All indigenous cases have been detected since June in these regions: Provence-Alpes-Côte-d’Azur, Corsica, Occitanie, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, and for the first time in New Aquitaine, Grand-Est and Burgundy-Franche-Comté. The cases were more precisely detected:
- In Hérault in Prades-le-Lez and Castries (12 cases),
- In the Var at La Crau (2 cases), in Fréjus (4 cases) and in Toulon,
- In the Bouches-du-Rhône at Salon de Provence (13 cases) and Vitrolles (23 cases),
- Best Sout in Grosseto-Pluggium (14 Cavé),
- ENGHOROR To IG LOMANGY
- In the Alpes-Maritimes in Antibes (5 cases), Nice and Auribeau-sur-Siagne,
- in Drôme in Montoison (3 cases),
- In the Gard in Bernis and Poulx (12 cases)
- In the Bas-Rhin in Lipsheim,
- in Isère, Claix (5 cases) and Eybens,
- In the Landes in Dax,
- In the Pyrénées-Atlantiques in Hendaye (3 cases),
- In Charente in Val-de-Cognac (5 cases),
- in Côte-d’Or in Dijon (2 cases),
- in Dordogne in Bergerac (2 cases).
“Such precocity in the activity season of the mosquito and such a high number of episodes had never been observed so far,” said Public Santé France in a previous assessment. Since the beginning of 2025, more than 1,830 cases of Chikungunya (imported and indigenous) have been detected in mainland France, including 919 only between May 1 and August 12, according to Public Health France. The three most affected regions are: Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, Ile-de-France and Nouvelle-Aquitaine. The previous two years, only thirty cases had been declared, including 0 or 1 Aboriginal case (contracted in the territory).
What are the latest figures for the epidemic in Reunion and Mayotte?
Chikungunya’s epidemic ends in Reunion but continues in Mayotte. The territory has been in the epidemic phase since May 27, 2025, and the trend in the number of cases has been downward since July according to public health France. Nearly 1,100 cases have so far been detected, and no death has been reported.
In Reunion, a drop in epidemic indicators has been observed since the end of April. The epidemic is now “of low intensity”, even if the virus still circulates there and that “cases are still confirmed” according to the latest public health report France published on June 18. Nearly 54,000 cases have been declared on the island since the start of the year. The chikungunya epidemic caused the death of 27 people in total, who were “essentially” over 65 years and comorbidities.
How to protect yourself from chikungunya?
Several vaccines against chikungunya exist. Until then, it was not recommended for travelers to be vaccinated against chikungunya. But in its 2025 recommendations to travelers, the High Public Health Council updated the recommendations concerning Chikungunya.
A new vaccine authorized in Europe in February 2025 then arrived in June in France, called Vimkunya, is now recommended in the event of a stay “in an area where an epidemic is proven”, “in the event of a prolonged stay” or “repeated stays in an area where active circulation of the virus” is observed, among 12-65 years who have comorbidities. Vaccination is only “to consider” among those over 65 and 12-65 year olds who have no comorbidities. It is not currently recommended for pregnant and lactating women for the moment, due to lack of sufficient data.
Another vaccine, Ixchiq, was already available but it is not recommended for travelers. It is only “to consider” in 12-65 year olds who are not immunocompromised. The European Medicines Agency announced on July 11 that it was again authorized among those over 65 after being against contraindicated in this age group. Several serious undesirable effects – including 3 deaths – had indeed been identified during the vaccination campaign set up in the meeting in early April, according to the National Agency for the Safety of Medicines.
Apart from vaccination, the only way to protect yourself from the disease is to avoid being bitten by mosquitoes thanks to repellents, mosquito nets and wearing long and ample clothes. It is recommended to monitor a possible appearance of symptoms to people who live, go or come back from the meeting.
Fragile people should be particularly vigilant, especially those suffering from chronic diseases, but also pregnant women and immunocompromised people, and now those over 65, in whom vaccination is not recommended. The disease can indeed be serious in these people. Today there is no specific treatment against chikungunya. The only available treatments are symptomatic, including paracetamol. Part of the population is already immune to chikungunya following the last epidemic in 2005-2006, which had affected around 260,000 people.
