The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has issued a public health advisory following a global surge in cases of Chikungunya virus, a mosquito-borne illness spreading in several countries.
Chikungunya is primarily transmitted by the Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus mosquitoes, the same species responsible for Dengue and Yellow Fever. Unlike Anopheles mosquitoes that transmit Malaria and are active at night, Aedes mosquitoes bite during the day, especially in the early morning and late afternoon, necessitating all-day protection.
Symptoms of the virus include sudden-onset fever, joint pain, muscle pain, headache, nausea, fatigue, and rash. Though not typically fatal, Chikungunya can result in severe joint pain that lasts for months and significantly impacts daily life.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, over 240,000 cases and 90 deaths have been reported across at least 16 countries so far this year. China has recorded nearly 5,000 cases since early July 2025, with Guangdong province alone confirming almost 3,000 cases in a single week.
In its advisory released on Friday, the NCDC said it is monitoring the global situation and warned that Nigeria is not immune to the risks, especially with the ongoing rainy season and widespread flooding creating ideal breeding conditions for mosquitoes.
“With the ongoing rainy season and increased flooding across parts of Nigeria, the risk of mosquito-borne diseases, including Chikungunya, Dengue, and Yellow Fever, is significantly heightened,” the agency said.
“This advisory builds on the CDCs’ earlier nationwide alert on flood-related diseases such as Cholera, Yellow Fever, and Dengue fever. The preventive measures outlined in that advisory remain relevant and critical for reducing the risk of Chikungunya, Yellow fever and Dengue transmission as well.”
While no confirmed cases have been recorded in Nigeria in 2025, the NCDC warned that environmental conditions in flood-affected and high-risk states could facilitate an outbreak if preventive actions are not taken.
The agency urged Nigerians, particularly those in vulnerable areas, to adopt comprehensive mosquito prevention measures. These include using insecticide-treated mosquito nets during sleep, wearing protective clothing with long sleeves and trousers, and applying mosquito repellent to exposed skin during peak biting hours.
Residents were also advised to maintain environmental hygiene by eliminating standing water around homes and frequently washing their hands to reduce the risk of infection.
“The existing surveillance and preparedness infrastructure of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), in collaboration with State Governments and Tertiary Institution Laboratories including the National Arbovirus and Vector Research Centre (NAVRC) in Enugu, enables early detection and rapid response to mosquito-borne threats such as Yellow Fever, Dengue, and Chikungunya,” the advisory stated.
“This infrastructure will be leveraged to enhance national readiness and response to any potential Chikungunya outbreaks.“
