China reports largest-ever chikungunya virus outbreak in Guangdong

From August 3 to 9, the southern Chinese province of Guangdong recorded 1,387 new cases of chikungunya virus.

The main hotspot is the city of Foshan, with 1,212 cases detected. In the provincial capital, Guangzhou, 103 cases have been confirmed, Caliber.Az reports, citing the Guangdong Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

The outbreak, transmitted through the bites of Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus mosquitoes, has become the largest in the history of mainland China. Since early July, more than 7,000 cases have been registered in the region.

Authorities have stepped up preventive measures, carrying out mass spraying of streets and residential areas with insecticides, and deploying drones to identify standing water — breeding sites for mosquitoes. In some districts, fines have been introduced for non-compliance with sanitation requirements, including power cuts for repeated violations.

Experts note that the virus is not transmitted from person to person but can cause high fever, muscle pain, and prolonged joint pain. Mortality is extremely low, and most patients recover within two weeks.

By Khagan Isayev