An imported case of the disease called chikungunya fever has been confirmed in Bács-Kiskun County, Hungary after a 53-year-old woman returned from Mauritius, according to Hungary’s latest weekly epidemiological report.
The National Public Health and Pharmaceutical Centre (NNGYK) recorded the laboratory-confirmed case during the 32nd epidemiological week, covering 3–9 August 2026. The woman was in Mauritius during the infection’s incubation period and is believed to have contracted the virus there.
What kind of disease is chikungunya fever?
Chikungunya is a viral disease transmitted primarily through the bites of infected mosquitoes. The main vectors are the Aedes aegypti, or yellow fever mosquito, and the Aedes albopictus, commonly known as the Asian tiger mosquito.
The infection does not spread directly from person to person without a mosquito acting as an intermediary. Around one-third of infected people may remain symptom-free. In those who develop symptoms, the incubation period is generally several days, after which the illness can cause:
- sudden, high fever;
- severe joint pain;
- headaches;
- muscle pain; and
- an occasional skin rash.
Most patients begin to recover within a week, and the fatality rate is extremely low. However, more serious complications can pose a greater risk to older people, newborn babies and those with weakened immune systems, according to the NNGYK.
Imported chikungunya cases remain uncommon in Hungary, with only a small number of travel-related infections generally recorded each year.
Malaria case also linked to overseas travel
The same weekly report recorded another imported tropical infection. An 18-year-old man living in Pest County was diagnosed with malaria after spending time in Tanzania during the disease’s incubation period.
Laboratory testing identified Plasmodium falciparum as the causative parasite. This species is responsible for the most severe form of malaria and can require urgent medical treatment.
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Gastroenteritis outbreak affects 54 people
The NNGYK report also documented a larger outbreak unrelated to overseas travel. An enteric outbreak occurred at a hotel in Zala County, where 54 of 640 exposed people became ill between 1 August and the publication of the report. Those affected included 50 hotel guests and four members of staff.
Vomiting and diarrhoea were the main symptoms. They reportedly disappeared within a short period, and most of those affected did not require medical attention.
Hungary’s public health authorities publish weekly epidemiological reports to monitor infectious diseases across the country and identify outbreaks and imported infections. The latest figures highlight how international travel can occasionally introduce diseases that are otherwise rarely encountered in Hungary.
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