A disabling mosquito-borne disease called chikungunya has killed six people in the French Indian Ocean island of La Reunion, but the outbreak appears to be easing, authorities said on Wednesday.
The island, located east of Madagascar, has been hit by the epidemic since August 2024, with one in nine people believed to be affected, according to local authorities. France's health agency confirmed that six people died since the start of the year, all of whom were aged over 70 and had comorbidities.
Sante Publique France reported that the epidemic is beginning to ease, with around 4,900 cases recorded in the first week of April 2025. Since the beginning of the year, more than 33,000 cases have been confirmed, although the actual number is believed to be much higher, as many patients do not get tested.
More than 220 people were hospitalized for more than 24 hours due to chikungunya, with a quarter of the patients being under six months old and 46 percent over 65 years old, according to the health agency. Nearly 900,000 people live on the island, and top local health official Gerard Cottelon stated that more than 100,000 residents have been affected by the virus.
Chikungunya is spread by Aedes mosquitoes and causes symptoms such as fever, rash, and severe joint pain. The virus can be particularly dangerous for older adults, pregnant women, babies, and those with chronic illnesses. This outbreak has prompted health officials to launch a vaccination campaign this spring.
The name "chikungunya" derives from a word in the Kimakonde language of southern Tanzania, meaning "to become contorted," which describes the stooped appearance of sufferers with joint pain, according to the World Health Organization.
Before the current outbreak, no cases of chikungunya had been reported in Reunion since 2010. A previous outbreak in 2005 and 2006 affected nearly 40 percent of the island's population, resulting in 225 deaths.
Health officials declared an epidemic on Reunion Island on January 13, 2025, following a surge in cases that began in August 2024. They linked the outbreak to rising mosquito populations during the summer and low immunity levels in the island's population.
As of early April, emergency visits at CHU Sud, the main hospital in the southern part of the island, fell by 22 percent. However, health officials warn that the situation remains serious despite early signs of improvement.
Since January, more than 33,000 cases have been confirmed by lab testing, and over 91,000 medical consultations have been recorded. In the week from March 31 to April 6, 2025, a total of 4,913 new cases were confirmed, down from nearly 6,300 the week before.
So far this year, 224 people have been hospitalized for more than 24 hours, with 196 of those cases directly related to chikungunya. In total, 41 cases have been classified as serious.
The "plan blanc" emergency protocol, which allows hospitals to free up resources and staff in response to a crisis, has been in place at the island's main hospital since April 4, 2025. A vaccination campaign began on April 7, offering free doses to people aged 65 and over with chronic health conditions. The vaccine in use is Ixchiq.
In the initial three days of the vaccination campaign, approximately 2,200 people received the vaccine, a number that health officials deemed unsatisfactory. At least 50,000 additional doses are expected to arrive on the island by the end of April 2025.
This outbreak marks the first significant chikungunya epidemic in Reunion Island since 2010. Since the start of the year, 262 imported cases have been identified in mainland France among individuals who had traveled from Reunion Island.
Health authorities continue to urge residents to protect themselves from mosquito bites and to eliminate standing water where mosquitoes can breed. As the situation develops, officials remain vigilant, monitoring the outbreak closely and adapting their strategies to manage the health crisis effectively.