Travel alert: Use extra caution when traveling to this tropical island spot

Updated: Feb. 25, 2026, 10:36 a.m.

|Published: Feb. 15, 2026, 9:00 a.m.

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Leada Gore | lgore@al.com

Travelers headed to the African nation of Seychelles are urged to take extra precautions due to growing health concerns.

The Centers for Disease Control issued a “Level 2: Practice Enhanced Precaution” alert due to an outbreak of chikungunya in the Seychelles.

A mosquito-borne virus, the disease is widespread in Africa, Asia and the Caribbean. Symptoms of the virus include fever, muscle and joint pain and swollen joints and typically show up between four and eight days after being bitten.

Most people get better within a week; however, some can have severe joint pain for months. The virus is not normally fatal but can be for those with a compromised immune system.

About 12,000 Americans travel to the Seychelles each year.

How to protect yourself from chikungunya

Seychelles was under a “Level 1 Practice Usual Precautions” advisory due to the global rise of measles cases. On Feb. 5, that was upgraded to Level 2: Practice Enhanced Precautions due to the ongoing outbreak.

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“There is an outbreak of chikungunya in Seychelles. You can protect yourself by preventing mosquito bites,” the CDC said.

Visitors are advised to wear insect repellent, long-sleeved shirts and pants and stay in places with air conditioning or that have screens on the doors and windows. Vaccinations are also recommended for travelers who are visiting an area with a chikungunya outbreak.

Pregnant women are advised to reconsider travel to the area due to the potential that the virus could be passed along to the baby. Newborns infected this way are at risk of severe illness and even death, the CDC warned.

Leada Gore is a Senior Managing Producer for the Advance Local trending team, covering finance, government and consumer issues. She worked as a Managing Producer for AL.com, starting at the site in 2013 as the... more

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