7,000 Sickened From Chikungunya Virus Outbreak in China as Officials Scramble to Prevent Further Spread

Mosquito. Credit :

Getty

  • There is currently an outbreak of the chikungunya virus in China, which has led to more than 7,000 cases in four weeks
  • The mosquito-borne illness causes fever and severe joint pain
  • The CDC is warning people about travel to China and other countries due to fear of the virus spreading

The United States is warning residents about visiting China after a mosquito-borne illness has sickened thousands of people in just a few weeks.

As of August 6, more than 7,000 cases of the chikungunya virus were reported in China.

The virus, which is transmitted by mosquitoes, causes fever and severe joint pain, according to the World Health Organization. Other symptoms include headache, muscle pain, joint swelling or rash. Symptoms often appear 3 to 7 days after a bite from an infected mosquito.

The epicenter of the outbreak is Foshan, a city in the Guangdong province. Health officials say the outbreak has since spread to Hong Kong and Macao, as well as Hunan province, more than 400 miles north.

The outbreak, which has spread over the past four weeks, is the country’s largest since the virus first emerged in the country in 2008, according to the New York Times.

There is no treatment for the virus. However, vaccines are available and recommended for those traveling to areas with an outbreak.

“The current situation is preventable, treatable and controllable,” Guo Jiakun, spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry, told CBS News.

Officials are using drones and pesticides to minimize the spread of the illness. They are also performing home inspections and fining residents for stagnant water, as well as spraying office workers with mosquito repellent before they are allowed inside, according to the New York Times.

A sanitation worker sprays insecticide to prevent the spread of Chikungunya in China. VCG/VCG via Getty 

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On August 1, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a Level 2 travel notice, urging people to “practice enhanced precautions” when traveling to China. The agency also issued a travel notice for outbreaks in Bolivia, Kenya, Madagascar, Mauritius, Mayotte, Réunion, Somalia and Sri Lanka.

Cases of the chikungunya virus have not been reported in the United States since 2019. The CDC says people can protect themselves from the virus by preventing mosquito bites, which includes using insect repellent, wearing long-sleeved shirts and pants and staying in places with air conditioning or that have screens on the windows and doors. 

According to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, the chikungunya virus has been the cause of 240,000 cases and 90 deaths globally in 2025. These cases were confirmed in 16 countries.

Mosquito populations are on the rise — something the Environmental Protection Agency attributed to climate change. In addition to chikungunya, harmful diseases commonly carried by mosquitoes include dengue fever, Zika and yellow fever.

“Studies show that warmer temperatures associated with climate change can accelerate mosquito development, biting rates, and the incubation of the disease within a mosquito,” the EPA said.

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