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While health agencies have issued travel alerts regarding France's Department of La Réunion Chikungunya outbreak for years, cases have spiked substantially since early 2025.
As of February 18, 2025, and since August 23, 2024, ARS Reunion confirmed 1,069 indigenous (local) cases recorded, including 927 since January 1, 2025.
The municipalities of Étang-Salé and Le Tampon have the most Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) cases, with 228 and 169 cases, respectively.

While the Yellow fever vaccine has been found highly effective when administered as a single dose, researchers have continued to examine the minimum dose requirements for seroconversion.
These researchers say the potential advantages of offering fractional doses are increased vaccinations and reduced under-vaccination, which have become a measurable health concern in the Region of the Americas over the past few years.
For example, 61 human cases of yellow fever were confirmed in the Region of the Americas in 2024, of which 30 were fatal (case fatality ratio, 50%).

The government of São Paulo, Brazil, through the State Department of Health, recently declared a state of public health emergency 'in view of dengue becoming epidemic.'
This agency says the 'cause of concern is the reappearance of the mosquito-transmitted dengue serotype 3 after seventeen years without circulation, as the Sao Pailo State population is not immune to this specific dengue strain.'

Following years of inadequate supply, a recently approved recombinant Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (rBCG) is now available in the United States to treat non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) patients.
Access to this vaccine may end the multi-year shortage of the TICE® BCG vaccine.

Following a record-setting number of Zika virus outbreaks in 2024, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) today reported eight counties have confirmed cases in 2025.
On February 18, 2025, the PAHO's data dashboard revealed that 333 Zika cases had already been confirmed in 2025.
Once again, the Federative Republic of Brazil, which has led this unfortunate list in the Region of the Americas for years, has 271 cases, followed by Bolivia, Columbia, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Mexico, and Peru.

By India Edwards HealthDay ReporterTUESDAY, Feb. 18, 2025 (HealthDay News) — President Donald Trump signed an executive order withholding funding from schools and universities that require students to be vaccinated …