The US CDC has updated the areas at risk for chikungunya on 05 February 2026 (red = new compared to last update 13 Jan 202):

Since 1 October 2025, cases of Shigella and Salmonella infection have been reported in travellers returning to England, Scotland and Wales from the Cape Verde Islands. Out of 158 confirmed Shigella cases, most (112) reported recent travel to Cape Verde, mainly to the Santa Maria and Boa Vista areas. Out of 43 confirmed Salmonella cases from three separate clusters, 32 people reported travel to Cape Verde.

The ECDC also reported an upsurge in Shigella cases in travellers returning to four EU countries (the Netherlands, Sweden, France and Ireland). An outbreak of Shigella was also reported in Cape Verde in 2022.

While no nationwide outbreak has been officially declared, this travel-associated signal highlights ongoing food- and water-borne infection risks in tourist settings. Older adults, immunocompromised individuals, pregnant women and children under five may be at greater risk of complications, including sepsis.

Since late December 2025, heavy rains across Southern Africa have led to a surge in malaria cases.

Botswana: Botswana has recorded 197 malaria cases during the 2025/26 season, including 176 locally acquired and 21 imported cases. In week 3 of 2026 alone, 56 locally transmitted cases were reported.

Likewise in February 2025, following heavy flooding, a significant surge in malaria cases was seen with more than 2’000 in 2025 compared to 290 cases in 2024.

Namibia: Health authorities report a significant surge in malaria during the first four weeks of 2026, with 8’760 confirmed cases, up from 5’229 in the same period last year. Katima Mulilo is the hardest hit (1’448 cases), followed by Outapi (1,287 cases). In total, 20 districts have crossed the epidemic threshold, including Andara, Nyangana, Ncamagoro, Nkurenkuru, Eenhana, Engela, Okongo, Grootfontein, Katima Mulilo, Rundu, Tsumeb, Otjiwarongo, Omuthiya, Tsandi, Outapi, Okahao, Opuwo, Oshikuku, and Oshakati.

South Africa: Mpumalanga’s Health Department warns of a malaria spike after floods, with 314 cases in January 2026 compared to 69 cases in 2025, mainly in Ehlanzeni District’s Nkomazi, Mbombela, and Bushbuckridge.

In 2025, the Americas reported 14’891 confirmed measles cases and 29 deaths, a 32-fold increase from 2024 and the highest total since 2019, with most deaths occurring in Indigenous populations. For details, see LINK.

According to media, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has warned the public against counterfeit anti-rabies vaccines and reminded consumers to purchase medicines only from establishments licensed by the agency.

Two wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1) positive environmental samples have been reported from Hamburg on 7 and 13 October 2025. These samples are from the same collection site as the previously-reported WPV1-positive environmental sample collected on 6 October 2025. The isolates are closely genetically linked. There are no associated cases of paralysis and no evidence of local community transmission. 

On 26 Jan 2026, Ethiopia officially declared the end of its first-ever Marburg virus disease outbreak, following 42 consecutive days with no new confirmed cases.

The outbreak was confirmed on 14 Nov 2025 declared and resulted in 14 laboratory-confirmed cases and nine deaths. There were five deaths that were probable cases. The outbreak affected four districts—Jinka, Malle, and Arba Minch in the South Ethiopia Region and Hawassa in the Sidama Region.

Rapid scaling of surveillance, contact tracing, risk communication, and border screening curbed transmission, while early access to investigational vaccines and therapeutics strengthened outbreak response.

Two German travelers developed laboratory-confirmed Chikungunya virus infection after independent trips to Seychelles (Mahé and La Digue) in January 2026. Both cases were confirmed by positive PCR results for chikungunya virus in serum samples.

According to the Ministry of Health of Seychelles, chikungunya cases have been rising nationwide since mid-December 2025. The rainy season, which typically occurs from November to March, creates favorable conditions for mosquito breeding.

In 2025, a chikungunya cases were detected in June and July in travellers after a stay in Seychelles.

Puerto Rico is facing a severe 2025–26 influenza epidemic, with over 40’000 cases, 3’001 hospitalizations, and 128 deaths reported by mid-January 2026. Children account for nearly half of cases (46%), and the epidemic has remained above threshold for six weeks, prompting a state of emergency.