Chikungunya is present in Guatemala but rare: the Ministry of Health (MSPAS) counted 18 suspected and 8 confirmed cases nationwide in 2026 up to 10 October, and CDC’s Guatemala page says chikungunya vaccination is generally not recommended.
In short: Guatemala’s 2026 chikungunya numbers are in single digits for confirmed cases: 8 confirmed in 6 health areas, with suspected cases reported in 13. CDC does not list Guatemala as an outbreak country or as an elevated-risk country, and its Guatemala page says chikungunya vaccination is generally not recommended; travelers who want to consider it are pointed to CDC’s chikungunya vaccines page. The picture changes if your route continues to northwest Costa Rica or Nicaragua, where CDC has outbreak notices. Everyone, vaccinated or not, is told to prevent mosquito bites.
The 2026 count, health area by health area
MSPAS’s Dirección de Epidemiología y Gestión del Riesgo publishes an arbovirus situation report covering dengue, chikungunya and Zika. The edition current on 9 November 2026 runs to epidemiological week 40, which ended on 10 October 2026. MSPAS labels the data preliminary and subject to change as health units confirm cases.
| MSPAS health area (DDRISS) | Suspected | Confirmed |
|---|---|---|
| Escuintla | 4 | 2 |
| San Marcos | 3 | 2 |
| Quetzaltenango | 0 | 1 |
| Petén Norte | 2 | 1 |
| Guatemala Central | 1 | 1 |
| Petén Sur Oriental | 1 | 1 |
| Guatemala Nor Occidente | 1 | 0 |
| Guatemala Sur | 1 | 0 |
| Chimaltenango | 1 | 0 |
| Huehuetenango | 1 | 0 |
| Sololá | 1 | 0 |
| Chiquimula | 1 | 0 |
| Alta Verapaz | 1 | 0 |
| Total, whole country | 18 | 8 |
Source: MSPAS, Situación Epidemiológica de las Arbovirosis en Guatemala 2026, SE 40-2026, table of suspected and confirmed cases by DDRISS (data source SIGSA). As of 9 November 2026.
The rows are MSPAS health areas (DDRISS), the unit MSPAS reports by. Escuintla and San Marcos together account for 4 of the 8 confirmed cases; no other area has more than one.
The same report puts chikungunya in proportion. Zika had 2 suspected and no confirmed cases. Dengue, the arbovirus that drives the report, was 35% below 2025 and 87% below the 2024 epidemic year for cumulative notified cases at week 40. For dengue’s own figures, see our dengue in Guatemala page.
MSPAS’s closing report for 2025, the week-53 arbovirus edition, does not include a chikungunya table, so that report gives no 2025 chikungunya count to set against the 2026 figure.
How Guatemala compares with the region
PAHO’s 20 October 2026 epidemiological update counts 213,919 suspected chikungunya cases, including 78,481 confirmed and 88 deaths, in 20 countries of the Americas between weeks 1 and 38 of 2026. It describes high transmission in every province of Cuba, central-west and southeast Brazil and southern Bolivia, and the reappearance of cases in the Guiana Shield and in Central American countries.
| Place | 2026 chikungunya figure | Published by |
|---|---|---|
| Guatemala | 18 suspected, 8 confirmed (to week 40) | MSPAS, SE 40 report |
| Costa Rica | 690 suspected, 539 lab-confirmed (to week 38); 404 in Guanacaste | PAHO update, 20 Oct 2026 |
| Costa Rica, northwest | CDC chikungunya outbreak travel notice | CDC Areas at Risk, 3 Sep 2026 |
| Nicaragua | CDC chikungunya outbreak travel notice | CDC Areas at Risk, 3 Sep 2026 |
| Mexico | On CDC’s elevated-risk list (no outbreak notice) | CDC Areas at Risk, 3 Sep 2026 |
| Americas, 20 countries | 213,919 suspected, 78,481 confirmed, 88 deaths (weeks 1-38) | PAHO update, 20 Oct 2026 |
PAHO’s country-by-country chikungunya summaries in that update cover Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Costa Rica, Cuba, French Guiana, Guyana, Panama and Suriname. Guatemala is not among them. PAHO’s earlier chikungunya alert of 10 February 2026 does not mention Guatemala either.
What CDC says about the vaccine for a Guatemala trip
CDC’s Guatemala destination page states: All travelers should take steps to prevent mosquito bites. Chikungunya vaccination is generally not recommended. It points travelers who still want to consider vaccination to CDC’s chikungunya vaccine page.
CDC’s Areas at Risk page, dated 3 September 2026, explains how that advice is set. Vaccination is recommended for travelers visiting an area with an outbreak. It may be considered for long stays in countries on an elevated-risk list, defined as countries with a median of one or more cases a year in US travelers over the last five years. Guatemala is on neither list. CDC also cautions that surveillance and testing practices vary greatly among countries and that it does not always have current risk information for every location.
Three itineraries where the answer may differ:
- Guatemala, then northwest Costa Rica or Nicaragua. Both carry CDC outbreak notices, and CDC recommends the vaccine for outbreak areas.
- A long stay that includes Mexico. Mexico is on CDC’s elevated-risk list. For stays of about six months or more there, CDC says vaccination can be considered.
- Pregnancy. CDC says pregnant women should weigh the vaccine’s risks and benefits against the risk of chikungunya illness with a healthcare provider. See our pregnant travel in Guatemala guide.
The vaccine itself
CDC’s vaccine page, dated 23 January 2026, describes one product available in the United States:
| Detail | CDC description |
|---|---|
| Name | VIMKUNYA (virus-like particle vaccine) |
| Live virus? | No; does not use a live or weakened form of the virus |
| Ages | Approved for people 12 years and older |
| Doses | Single dose |
| Recommended for | Adolescents and adults travelling to an area with a chikungunya outbreak; CDC also recommends it for laboratory workers who might be exposed to the virus |
| Considered for | Long stays (for example 6 months or more) in elevated-risk areas |
Source: CDC, Chikungunya Vaccine, as of 9 November 2026.
The MSPAS arbovirus report does not mention a chikungunya vaccine, and its recommendations focus on controlling the Aedes aegypti mosquito. If you want the vaccine, the CDC information applies to getting it in the US before the trip. For the vaccines that are routinely advised for Guatemala, see our vaccines for Guatemala guide.
Preventing bites is the main protection
CDC describes chikungunya as spreading mainly through mosquito bites and causing fever and joint pain. Among the factors CDC asks travelers to weigh is the possibility of long-term joint problems after infection. Its baseline advice for everyone going to Guatemala is to prevent mosquito bites.
MSPAS’s own recommendations in the week-40 report are aimed at the Aedes aegypti mosquito that also carries dengue. It urges removing breeding sites, managing containers that hold water and seeking care promptly when warning signs appear. MSPAS’s own entomology manual names Aedes aegypti as the vector of both dengue and chikungunya, so the same bite-avoidance habits apply to both. For the separate malaria picture, see our malaria in Guatemala guide.
Sources
- CDC, Guatemala destination page (traveler view), chikungunya entry and travel health notices: https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/traveler/none/guatemala (read 9 November 2026)
- CDC, Areas at Risk for Chikungunya (page dated 3 September 2026): https://www.cdc.gov/chikungunya/data-maps/index.html (read 9 November 2026)
- CDC, Chikungunya Vaccine (page dated 23 January 2026): https://www.cdc.gov/chikungunya/vaccines/index.html (read 9 November 2026)
- MSPAS, Dirección de Epidemiología y Gestión del Riesgo, arbovirus situation room listing: https://epidemiologia.mspas.gob.gt/informacion/vigilancia-epidemiologica/salas-situacionales/5-arbovirosis (read 9 November 2026)
- MSPAS, Situación Epidemiológica de las Arbovirosis en Guatemala 2026, SE 40-2026 (PDF): https://epidemiologia.mspas.gob.gt/phocadownload/userupload/arbovirosis/2026/arbovirosis-semana-40-2026.pdf (read 9 November 2026)
- MSPAS, arbovirus report SE 53-2025 (PDF): https://epidemiologia.mspas.gob.gt/phocadownload/userupload/arbovirosis/2025/arbovirosis-semana-53-2025.pdf (read 9 November 2026)
- PAHO/WHO, Actualización Epidemiológica: Dengue y chikungunya en la Región de las Américas, 20 October 2026 (PDF): https://www.paho.org/sites/default/files/2026/10/2026-20-octubre-phe-dengue-chkvfinal-es.pdf (read 9 November 2026)
- PAHO/WHO, Alerta Epidemiológica: Chikungunya, 10 February 2026: https://www.paho.org/es/documentos/alerta-epidemiologica-chikungunya-10-febrero-2026 (read 9 November 2026)
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there chikungunya in Guatemala right now?
Yes, at a low level. Guatemala’s Ministry of Health (MSPAS) reported 18 suspected and 8 confirmed chikungunya cases nationwide in 2026 up to epidemiological week 40, which ended on 10 October 2026. MSPAS marks the figures as preliminary.
Do I need the chikungunya vaccine for Guatemala?
CDC’s Guatemala destination page says chikungunya vaccination is generally not recommended and that all travelers should take steps to prevent mosquito bites. CDC recommends the vaccine for travel to an area with a chikungunya outbreak; Guatemala is not on CDC’s outbreak list or its list of elevated-risk countries (page dated 3 September 2026).
Where in Guatemala were the 2026 cases?
MSPAS’s week-40 table lists cases in 13 health areas. Escuintla had the most (4 suspected, 2 confirmed), followed by San Marcos (3 suspected, 2 confirmed). Quetzaltenango, Petén Norte, Guatemala Central and Petén Sur Oriental each had 1 confirmed case.
Is chikungunya worse in neighbouring countries?
In 2026, yes. PAHO’s 20 October 2026 update reports 690 suspected and 539 laboratory-confirmed cases in Costa Rica up to week 38, most in Guanacaste. CDC has outbreak travel notices for northwest Costa Rica and for Nicaragua. If your trip continues there, CDC’s outbreak recommendation applies to that leg.
Can I get the chikungunya vaccine before I leave the US?
CDC says a virus-like particle vaccine called VIMKUNYA is available in the United States, approved for people 12 and older, given as a single dose. Pregnant women should discuss risks and benefits with a healthcare provider. The MSPAS arbovirus report does not mention a chikungunya vaccine.
