The United States has raised its health guidance for travel to Seychelles in early 2026, after U.S. health authorities confirmed an outbreak of chikungunya in the Indian Ocean archipelago. While the U.S. State Department continues to rate Seychelles as generally safe, with a Level 1 advisory for overall security conditions, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued a separate Level 2 travel health notice urging “enhanced precautions” because of the mosquito borne virus. For American travelers planning a tropical escape to Mahé, Praslin or La Digue, the new alerts mean extra preparation, not outright cancellation. Here is what the new advisory and health notice actually mean, how serious chikungunya is, and how to protect yourself if you decide to go.
What the New Level 2 Advisory Means for Travelers
In the U.S. system, there are two parallel but complementary streams of information about overseas trips. The State Department issues security focused travel advisories that range from Level 1 (exercise normal precautions) to Level 4 (do not travel), while the CDC publishes health focused travel notices from Level 1 (usual precautions) to Level 3 (avoid nonessential travel). As of February 2026, Seychelles remains a Level 1 destination from a security perspective, reflecting its reputation as a relatively safe, politically stable island nation. However, parts of the country, including some outer islands, have long carried higher caution levels for reasons such as limited medical infrastructure.
What has changed is the health risk profile. On February 5, 2026, the CDC added a Level 2 “Practice Enhanced Precautions” notice for Seychelles because of a confirmed chikungunya outbreak. This places the country in the same broad risk category as several other destinations currently managing significant transmission. A Level 2 health notice does not tell travelers to stay away; it signals that normal routines are no longer sufficient and that you should actively manage specific risks, in this case mosquito exposure and, for some travelers, vaccination.
For visitors, that means the U.S. government still considers tourist travel to Seychelles permissible but advises extra care. Travelers are encouraged to consult a travel medicine specialist several weeks before departure, review their individual risk factors, and consider whether the timing and nature of their trip are appropriate. Older adults, pregnant travelers, those with chronic illnesses, and families with infants may need to take more stringent precautions or rethink nonessential itineraries that involve extensive outdoor exposure.
The combination of a baseline Level 1 security advisory with a targeted Level 2 health notice underscores a nuanced message: Seychelles is not deemed a high risk conflict or crime zone, but the chikungunya situation adds a layer of medical complexity that travelers cannot afford to ignore.
Understanding the Chikungunya Outbreak in Seychelles
Chikungunya is not new to the western Indian Ocean, but Seychelles had largely avoided major flare ups in recent years. That changed in late 2025 and early 2026, when Seychellois health authorities began registering rising numbers of cases across the islands. By early January 2026, local officials reported an uptick in suspected arboviral illnesses and confirmed that chikungunya had become the predominant virus circulating, outpacing dengue and Zika. The national Ministry of Health urged residents to remove standing water, protect themselves from mosquito bites, and seek timely care for fever with joint pain or rash.
The CDC maintains a dedicated traveler information page for Seychelles and updates it when conditions change. Its February 2026 update formally categorized chikungunya in Seychelles as an outbreak situation, triggering the Level 2 health notice. While precise case counts have not been publicly detailed in the same manner as larger epidemics in neighboring Indian Ocean territories, the notice indicates sustained local transmission rather than isolated imported cases.
Climate and geography contribute to the challenge. Seychelles’ tropical environment, abundant rainfall, and dense vegetation provide ideal breeding conditions for Aedes mosquitoes, the primary vectors for chikungunya. At the same time, tourism remains a backbone of the economy, with hundreds of thousands of visitors arriving each year. This constant movement of people in and out of the islands increases the probability that infections can both seed outbreaks locally and be carried onward to other regions.
The current outbreak in Seychelles is unfolding against a broader backdrop of global chikungunya resurgence. In the last two years, health agencies have tracked large scale epidemics in parts of the Indian Ocean, the Americas, and other tropical and subtropical regions. The World Health Organization and regional bodies have warned that environmental shifts, urbanization, and global travel are likely to fuel further spread and periodic spikes in coming years. Seychelles’ new outbreak fits this larger pattern.
What Is Chikungunya and How Serious Is It?
Chikungunya is a viral disease spread primarily by the Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus mosquitoes, the same species responsible for transmitting dengue and Zika. Unlike malaria, which is caused by a parasite and transmitted by Anopheles mosquitoes, chikungunya belongs to the family of arboviruses and typically causes abrupt onset fever and severe joint pain. Many patients also experience headache, muscle pain, fatigue, rash, and swelling of the small joints.
Symptoms usually begin three to seven days after an infected mosquito bite, after a short incubation period. Most people improve within about a week, but joint pain can linger for months and, in some cases, years. Patients often describe the joint symptoms as debilitating, particularly in wrists, ankles, and fingers, and it is this chronic arthritis like discomfort that gives chikungunya its name, derived from a word in the Kimakonde language meaning “to become contorted.”
For the majority of otherwise healthy adults, chikungunya is rarely fatal, and many recover without hospitalization. However, the disease is far from benign. Older adults, newborns exposed around the time of birth, pregnant people, and those with underlying cardiovascular, neurological, or metabolic conditions face a higher risk of severe illness, complications, and, in rare instances, death. During recent outbreaks in other islands, hospitals documented significant numbers of admissions among people over 65 and young infants, with a subset experiencing organ failure or prolonged disability.
There is currently no specific antiviral medication that cures chikungunya. Treatment is supportive: rest, hydration, and medications such as acetaminophen for fever and pain, with doctors often avoiding nonsteroidal anti inflammatory drugs until dengue has been ruled out because of bleeding risks. In severe cases, especially when there are neurological or cardiac complications, patients may require intensive monitoring and hospital level care. Prevention, therefore, remains the cornerstone of risk reduction for travelers.
CDC Guidance: Vaccine, At Risk Groups and When to Consider Postponing
The CDC’s 2026 travel health notice for Seychelles emphasizes two pillars of prevention: rigorous mosquito bite avoidance and, for some travelers, vaccination against chikungunya. In November 2023, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the first chikungunya vaccine, a single dose product designed for people at increased risk of exposure in outbreak areas. U.S. guidelines since then have recommended that clinicians discuss this option with travelers who are likely to have significant outdoor exposure in places where the virus is actively circulating.
However, the vaccine landscape is evolving. In 2025, U.S. regulators and advisory panels highlighted safety concerns for older adults receiving one of the licensed vaccines, particularly for people aged 60 and above with existing health conditions. Investigations linked a small number of serious adverse events, including heart and brain related complications, to the shot in this age group. As a result, officials urged caution in vaccinating seniors and signaled a shift toward using alternative products or more targeted recommendations for those at highest risk of severe chikungunya.
Against this backdrop, the CDC now stresses individualized decision making. Younger, healthy travelers who will spend considerable time outdoors in Seychelles during the outbreak, especially those staying in local housing, working in field settings, or visiting for extended periods, may be good candidates for vaccination after consulting a travel medicine clinic. Pregnant travelers, those planning in vitro fertilization cycles, or individuals with major chronic illnesses should have nuanced discussions with their health care providers about both the risk of infection and the limited experience with vaccines in these groups.
There are scenarios in which postponing or rerouting a trip may be the safer option. People who cannot effectively use insect repellents, such as very young infants, or who cannot safely receive vaccine because of underlying conditions, may wish to delay nonessential visits to outbreak zones. Others, particularly older adults with multiple comorbidities or a history of heart disease or stroke, should weigh the risks of both infection and vaccination. The Level 2 health notice is designed precisely to prompt these conversations rather than to issue a blanket prohibition.
How to Protect Yourself in Seychelles: Practical Mosquito Bite Prevention
Regardless of vaccination status, meticulous mosquito bite prevention is essential for travel to Seychelles while the chikungunya outbreak persists. Aedes mosquitoes are daytime biters, with peak activity in the early morning and late afternoon, but they can feed at any time. Unlike malaria prevention strategies that often focus on nighttime protection, chikungunya prevention requires an all day approach.
The CDC and other health authorities recommend using insect repellents registered with recognized standards and containing active ingredients such as DEET, picaridin, IR3535, or oil of lemon eucalyptus. These should be applied to exposed skin according to label directions and reapplied after swimming or heavy sweating. For travelers using sunscreen, the general advice is to apply sunscreen first and repellent second, and to avoid combination products that may compromise effectiveness.
Clothing choices also matter. Light colored, long sleeved shirts, long pants, socks, and closed shoes reduce the amount of exposed skin available to biting mosquitoes. Many travelers choose to treat clothing and gear such as hats, socks, and bed nets with permethrin before departure. In Seychelles, where humidity and heat can make full coverage uncomfortable, choosing breathable fabrics and planning outdoor activities during cooler parts of the day can make prevention more realistic.
Accommodation plays a critical role. Visitors should, where possible, stay in lodgings with air conditioning or intact window and door screens that limit mosquito entry. In guesthouses or self catering apartments without reliable screening, sleeping under a bed net and using plug in or coil based repellents can provide an extra layer of protection. Even upscale resorts may have lush vegetation and water features that attract mosquitoes, so do not assume that luxury automatically equals low risk.
On the Ground in Seychelles: Local Response and What Visitors Can Expect
Seychelles’ health authorities have moved to strengthen their response to vector borne diseases in recent years. In December 2025, the government validated a national strategic plan running through 2030 aimed at tackling tropical and vector borne illnesses, including dengue, leptospirosis, Zika, and chikungunya. The plan adopts a “One Health” approach, coordinating human health, animal health, and environmental sectors to improve surveillance, vector control, and community engagement.
With the current chikungunya outbreak, this framework is being put to the test. Local officials have stepped up public messaging campaigns, encouraging residents to eliminate standing water from yards, gutters, plant pots, and construction sites, and to seek testing and care when symptomatic. Vector control teams are deploying larvicides in key breeding areas and, in some instances, conducting targeted spraying around clusters of cases. Public health messages emphasize personal protective measures similar to those advised for visitors.
For tourists, the immediate impact will likely be more visible health messaging, informational materials at airports and hotels, and in some areas increased mosquito control activity. Clinics and hospitals in Mahé, the main island, are accustomed to managing arboviral illnesses and can usually provide basic diagnostic and supportive care. However, medical infrastructure in some outer islands and smaller communities remains limited. The U.S. State Department has long advised travelers to consider the availability of medical evacuation coverage when visiting Seychelles, particularly if they plan to spend time away from the main population centers.
Travelers who become ill during or after their trip should take symptoms seriously. Anyone experiencing sudden fever with intense joint pain, rash, or severe headache should seek local medical attention and avoid self medicating with drugs that might worsen potential dengue related bleeding until a clinician has evaluated them. After returning home, travelers who develop symptoms within two weeks should inform their doctor about their recent stay in Seychelles so that testing for chikungunya and related viruses can be arranged.
Balancing Wanderlust and Risk: Should You Still Go?
For many travelers, the question now is whether a Seychelles escape in 2026 remains worth it. There is no single universal answer. The CDC’s Level 2 health notice and the State Department’s continued Level 1 security advisory together point toward a middle ground: trips are still possible, but they require more thoughtful preparation and a clear eyed understanding of personal risk tolerance.
Healthy, younger adults who are willing to adhere to strict mosquito precautions and, where appropriate, consider vaccination may decide that the residual risk is acceptable, particularly for shorter stays focused on well equipped resorts with good screening and air conditioning. These travelers should still build in contingency plans, such as comprehensive travel insurance that covers medical care and evacuation, and additional time in their itinerary in case of illness.
By contrast, older travelers, pregnant people, families with newborns, and individuals with serious chronic illnesses may find that the balance tips the other way. Even if the probability of severe chikungunya remains relatively low, the potential impact on health and mobility, combined with uncertainties around vaccine safety in certain groups, could justify postponing nonessential trips until transmission subsides. Alternative destinations with lower vector borne disease activity may provide similar beach and nature experiences with less health related anxiety.
Ultimately, the new advisory is not a travel ban but a call for informed choice. Before booking or departing, U.S. travelers should consult up to date State Department and CDC resources, speak with a travel health provider, and assess how the current outbreak intersects with their own health status and plans. For those who do go, vigilance about mosquito bite prevention and prompt attention to any symptoms are now as much a part of packing for Seychelles as swimsuits and snorkeling gear.