The New York State Department of Health has confirmed the first locally acquired case of chikungunya in New York State. Laboratory testing at the Wadsworth Center identified the infection in a resident of Nassau County, Long Island. This is the first such case reported in the state, and no locally acquired cases have been reported in U.S. states and territories since 2019.
Health officials believe the individual was likely infected after being bitten by a mosquito carrying the virus. The specific source of exposure remains unclear. The Aedes albopictus mosquito, which can transmit chikungunya, is found in some downstate areas of New York. Local transmission is possible when a mosquito bites an infected traveler and then bites another person. Chikungunya does not spread directly from person to person.
State Health Commissioner Dr. James McDonald stated, “Our Wadsworth Center has confirmed this test result, which is the first known case of locally acquired Chikungunya in New York State. Given the much colder nighttime temperatures, the current risk in New York is very low.” He added, “We urge everyone to take simple precautions to protect themselves and their families from mosquito bites.”
Chikungunya is a disease transmitted by mosquitoes that is more common in tropical and subtropical regions. Symptoms include fever, joint pain, headache, muscle pain, swelling of joints or rash. The illness rarely results in death; most people recover within a week but some may experience lasting joint pain. Those at higher risk for severe illness include newborns infected near birth, adults over 65 years old, and people with chronic health conditions such as high blood pressure, diabetes or heart disease.
So far in 2025, three other chikungunya cases outside New York City have been linked to international travel to places where chikungunya is present. Routine mosquito testing by the Wadsworth Center and the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene has not detected chikungunya virus in any local mosquito samples.
With cooler fall weather reducing mosquito activity across New York, health officials continue to remind residents to take steps to avoid mosquito bites.
More information about chikungunya virus can be found here.
