China Confirms Over 7,000 Chikungunya Cases
China is facing an unexpected health scare. Over 7,000 cases of chikungunya, a mosquito-borne virus, have been reported in the southern province of Guangdong since July, forcing cities to take action that echoes the early days of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Foshan is at the centre of the outbreak, and health officials aren’t taking chances. Anyone diagnosed with chikungunya is being kept in hospital, their beds covered with mosquito nets. They can only leave once they test negative or after spending seven full days under medical supervision.
The virus, while not fatal, can cause painful symptoms—including fever and intense joint pain that in some cases lingers for months or even years.
China Confirms Over 7,000 Chikungunya Cases
Chikungunya isn’t new globally—it’s common in parts of South Asia, Southeast Asia, and Africa—but outbreaks are rare in China. That’s likely why panic is starting to spread, even though officials say most of the cases have been mild. In fact, 95% of patients have been discharged within a week.
Still, the number of infections is rising. More than 2,900 new cases were recorded just last week. At least 12 cities in Guangdong have reported infections, and Hong Kong has now confirmed its first case—a 12-year-old boy who fell sick after visiting Foshan in July.
How the Virus Spreads
Despite public fear, health experts stress that chikungunya is not contagious between people. It only spreads through the bite of an infected mosquito. But once a person is bitten, the virus can continue circulating if another mosquito bites them and then bites someone else.
What is China Doing To Curb Infections?
Guangdong officials have promised “decisive and forceful measures” to contain the outbreak. Residents showing symptoms like fever, rash, or joint pain are being urged to get tested immediately.
But it’s not just hospital visits that are being pushed. Authorities are cracking down on mosquito breeding grounds. They’re urging people to eliminate stagnant water from flower pots, kettles, coffee machines, even bottle caps. And if they don’t? Fines of up to 10,000 yuan (about $1,400) are being threatened.
In an aggressive move, officials are turning to science—and nature. They’re releasing lab-bred “elephant mosquitoes,” which don’t bite humans but feast on smaller, virus-carrying mosquitoes.
They’ve also deployed mosquito-eating fish into lakes across Foshan—5,000 of them in one week. Some areas have gone a step further, flying drones over rooftops to locate hidden pools of stagnant water.
At the height of concern, some neighbouring cities began forcing people from Foshan into 14-day home quarantine. That rule has since been scrapped.
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The post China Confirms Over 7,000 Chikungunya Cases appeared first on iHarare News.
