Liputan6.com, Jakarta In August 2025, China faced a significant outbreak of the chikungunya virus, primarily concentrated in Guangdong province.
As reported by BBC there are more than 7,000 cases had been reported in the region in recent weeks, with the epicenter of the outbreak in the city of Foshan.
"This is scary. The prolonged consequences sound very painful," one user wrote on Chinese social media platform Weibo.
This situation prompted Chinese health authorities to take rapid response measures to control the spread.
The earliest symptomatic case in this outbreak in China was recorded on June 16, 2025, and the number has continued to increase since then.
Between July 27 and August 2, 2025 alone, approximately 2,892 new local cases of chikungunya were reported, with 95% of them originating in Foshan.
Cases also began to spread to other cities and municipalities such as Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Dongguan, and Zhongshan.
In response, the Chinese government launched a series of comprehensive control measures, similar to those for the COVID-19 pandemic.
These measures included patient quarantines, large-scale mosquito control campaigns, and the imposition of fines for violators.
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has even issued a Level 2 travel warning for the region, underscoring the urgency of the situation.
What is Chikungunya Virus?
Chikungunya is a mosquito-borne viral disease caused by the chikungunya virus (CHIKV).
This virus is an RNA virus of the Alphavirus genus in the Togaviridae family.
The name "Chikungunya" comes from the Kimakonde language of southern Tanzania, literally meaning "the bent one" or "the curved one," describing the hunched posture experienced by sufferers due to severe joint pain.
The virus was first identified in 1952 in Tanzania and has since spread worldwide.
The disease is generally not fatal, but can cause severely debilitating symptoms.
Chikungunya symptoms typically appear 2 to 12 days after the bite of an infected mosquito, with the majority of cases showing symptoms.
Transmission and Symptoms of Chikungunya
Chikungunya virus is transmitted to humans through the bite of infected female mosquitoes, primarily the Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus species.
These mosquitoes are known to actively bite during the day, with peak activity in the morning and evening.
Chikungunya is not transmitted through person-to-person contact or bodily fluids such as saliva, coughing, or sneezing.
However, transmission can occur through blood transfusions, from a pregnant woman to her fetus (especially in the second trimester), and from mother to baby during childbirth (intrapartum transmission).
Chikungunya symptoms generally include:
- Sudden high fever (above 39°C or 102°F).
- Severe, often debilitating joint pain that can last for weeks, months, or even years. This pain is often symmetrical, affecting multiple joints in the arms and legs, and tends to affect the small joints.
- Muscle pain.
- Headache.
- Nausea.
- Fatigue.
- Skin rash, with redness and sometimes small bumps on the palms of the hands, soles of the feet, trunk, and face.
Although rarely fatal, chikungunya can cause serious complications in vulnerable groups such as newborns, the elderly, and individuals with underlying health conditions such as diabetes or heart disease.
China's Response to the Chikungunya Virus Outbreak
Chinese health authorities have responded to the chikungunya virus outbreak with decisive and coordinated action.
Infected patients are quarantined in hospitals until tested negative or after completing a seven-day hospitalization period.
Patients' beds are also equipped with mosquito nets to prevent further transmission.
In parallel, a large-scale mosquito control campaign has been launched across the affected areas.
This includes spraying insecticides in parks and streets, as well as releasing “elephant mosquitoes” and mosquito-eating fish to prey on virus-carrying insects.
Drone technology is also being used to detect hidden mosquito breeding sites.
The government has also imposed hefty fines on households that do not drain stagnant water, which is a favorite breeding ground for mosquitoes.
In addition, retail pharmacies have been instructed to maintain real-name registration and keep records when selling medicines for chikungunya symptoms.
Travelers from affected cities in Guangdong are also asked to monitor themselves for symptoms.