Chikungunya is rarely fatal, but it does cause fever and severe joint pain. (Photo: The Straits Times)
According to the CDA, the presence of Aedes mosquitoes and travellers carrying the virus are key factors in the potential spread of the disease.
The agency reported that there had been 17 cases of chikungunya fever in Singapore since the start of the year as at August 2. This is more than double the eight registered in the same period in 2024. The total number of cases for 2024 was 15.
Of the cases reported so far in 2025, at least 13 recently travelled to affected areas overseas while at least three local cases are not linked to one another.
There are currently about 72,000 Gravitraps deployed across housing estates in Singapore, used to monitor the Aedes mosquito population. The agency added that its ongoing mosquito control efforts with community partners will be stepped up where a cluster is reported.
The chikungunya virus is spread by the bite of infected Aedes mosquitoes.
Those infected may show symptoms similar to dengue, such as acute fever, joint pain, rash and headache. Joint pain caused by chikungunya can, however, last for weeks to months. Although chikungunya is not as life-threatening as dengue, it can be very debilitating.
Singapore recorded 718 chikungunya cases in 2008, with the number dropping sharply in 2009 and even further in 2010. In 2013, cases soared once more, climbing to 1,059 infections as compared with 22 in the previous year.