Southern China is grappling with its worst-ever chikungunya outbreak, with more than 7,000 cases reported in just a few weeks. The outbreak, centered in Foshan city in Guangdong province, has triggered aggressive public health measures as authorities race to contain the spread.
This marks China’s most severe chikungunya flare-up since the virus was first detected in the country nearly two decades ago. Once limited to imported cases, chikungunya has now become a serious domestic threat.
What is Chikungunya?
Chikungunya is a mosquito-borne virus first discovered in Tanzania in 1952. It spreads through bites from infected Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus mosquitoes -- the same species that transmit dengue and Zika.
Symptoms begin four to eight days after infection and include high fever, fatigue, rashes, and severe joint pain, often lasting for months or longer. The disease is rarely fatal but can be dangerous for infants, elderly individuals, and those with weakened immune systems.
While the virus isn’t spread directly from person to person, mosquitoes can pick it up from infected individuals and pass it on to others, creating a self-sustaining cycle of transmission.
How the outbreak started
Authorities believe the outbreak began in Foshan in early July, likely due to an imported case. The virus quickly spread in Shunde District, home to nearly 9 million people, before spilling into other cities like Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Dongguan, and Zhongshan.
China CDC expert Liu Qiyong told CGTN, “With the virus spreading globally, imported cases have inevitably reached China. Given the established presence of local transmission vectors, particularly Aedes mosquitoes, these imported infections have fuelled sustained local transmission cycles, leading to concentrated, small-scale outbreaks in affected regions.”
On August 4, Hong Kong confirmed its first imported case -- a 12-year-old boy who had recently travelled to Foshan.
In response to the outbreak, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a Level 2 travel alert for Foshan, urging travelers to use insect repellent, wear long sleeves, and avoid mosquito exposure. Pregnant women have been advised not to travel to the region.
How China is responding
Drawing on lessons from the Covid-19 pandemic, Guangdong officials have rolled out strict containment measures. Infected patients are being quarantined in mosquito-proof hospital beds until they test negative. Foshan alone has expanded its isolation bed capacity to over 7,000.
Since there is no cure or antiviral drug for chikungunya, treatment focuses on easing symptoms through rest, hydration, and pain relief.
Local authorities are also conducting house-to-house inspections to eliminate mosquito breeding grounds. Residents are expected to cooperate, and failure to do so can result in fines or even criminal charges.
According to a New York Times report, five households in Guicheng had their electricity cut off for obstructing inspections. A local government flyer warned that “obstructing vector-control measures could be prosecuted as a criminal offence under laws pertaining to the prevention of infectious diseases.”
New and unusual control methods
Beyond standard mosquito control techniques like fogging and pesticide use, Chinese authorities are deploying more experimental strategies. These include releasing “elephant mosquitoes” -- non-biting mosquitoes whose larvae prey on those of Aedes mosquitoes -- and introducing larvae-eating fish into urban water bodies.
Drones are being used to identify breeding hotspots in hard-to-reach areas, and special teams have been dispatched to disinfect entire neighborhoods.
All of these efforts aim to break the mosquito life cycle at every stage, from eggs to adult insects, to reduce the risk of further transmission.
Is climate change a factor?
China’s warm, humid climate, especially in the south, creates ideal conditions for mosquito-borne illnesses. The current outbreak has been worsened by high population density and increasing global travel.
Unlike previous outbreaks that remained contained, this time local conditions have allowed the virus to take hold.
The WHO has long warned that climate change and urbanization are expanding mosquito habitats. Rising temperatures and shifting rainfall patterns are pushing Aedes mosquitoes into new areas — making outbreaks like Foshan’s more likely.
The global Chikungunya challenge
Chikungunya isn’t new to the global stage. Countries like India, Brazil, Colombia, Mexico, and the Philippines frequently deal with outbreaks. In 2006, India reported nearly 1.3 million suspected cases, mainly in Karnataka and Maharashtra.
The U.S. also tracks imported cases. From 2006 to 2013, annual cases ranged from 5 to 28. That number spiked to almost 3,000 in 2014. After dropping to just 36 in 2021, the trend has been climbing again — with 199 cases in 2024 and 46 already in 2025.
La Réunion, a French overseas territory, has reported over 47,500 cases this year alone.
What about vaccines?
Two vaccines for chikungunya have been approved in the U.S.:
- IXCHIQ – a live-attenuated vaccine for people aged 18 and above
- VIMKUNYA – a virus-like particle vaccine for those aged 12 and up
These vaccines are not yet available in China.
Instead, Chinese health officials continue to focus on mosquito control and prevention strategies, urging people to eliminate standing water, use repellents, and wear protective clothing.
For travelers, especially pregnant women, the CDC recommends avoiding high-risk regions and delaying vaccination until after childbirth.
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