Written By: Sustainability Awakening
August 07, 2025
A sudden surge of chikungunya infections sweeps through Guangdong province, sparking widespread alarm.
More than 7,000 cases reported in Foshan since June—a first-of-its-kind outbreak in mainland China.
Victims experience high fever, agonizing joint pain, rashes, muscle aches. Though rarely fatal, the pain may linger for months.
Chikungunya spreads only via Aedes mosquitoes—not person-to-person—yet its spread has prompted COVID‑style reaction.
Authorities deploy drones, insecticide sprays, nets—and even fines and power cuts for stagnant water offenders.
Biological control: releasing mosquito-eating fish, predatory “elephant mosquitoes” larvae, and sterile predators.
Mass isolation in mosquito-net–protected hospital beds, mass testing, “patriotic” public campaigns—China’s high-alert response recalls the pandemic era.
The CDC issues a Level 2 travel advisory for Guangdong—urging enhanced precautions for visitors.
Wear long sleeves and pants, apply DEET repellent, sleep under nets, and stay in screened or air‑conditioned places.
Though chikungunya vaccines exist in the U.S. and EU, they’re not widely accessible—and were not used broadly in China.
Without treatment, victory relies on vigilance, vector control, and public awareness. This outbreak is a vivid reminder: in our warming world, no region is immune.