As Chikungunya fever, a mosquito-borne infectious disease, spreads in Guangdong Province, southern China, the number of confirmed cases has approached 5,000. Chinese authorities have strengthened quarantine measures, and the World Health Organization (WHO) has warned of the potential for a global outbreak.
According to reports from the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention and local media on the 30th, a total of 4,824 confirmed cases of Chikungunya fever were reported in 12 cities within Guangdong Province from January to June this year. The majority of cases are concentrated in Foshan City, with confirmed cases also reported in Shenzhen City, which is adjacent to Hong Kong. No severe cases or deaths have been reported among these.
According to the WHO, Chikungunya fever is an infectious disease caused by the Chikungunya virus, transmitted through the Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus mosquitoes. Symptoms typically manifest 4 to 8 days after being bitten by an infected mosquito. The main symptoms include high fever, rash, and severe joint pain.
According to China’s state-run Xinhua News Agency, about 20 to 30% of those infected show symptoms, with most cases being mild and self-limiting. However, joint pain may persist for months or years in some patients. Xinhua quoted an infected person from Foshan City who said, “My joints suddenly hurt so much that I thought it was gout. It felt like being hit on the joint with a hammer.”
The disease is not transmitted through casual contact, sneezing, or coughing, but there is a risk of transmission through blood transfusion or during pregnancy and childbirth. When bitten by mosquitoes that have fed on infected individuals, there is a greater risk of transmission, necessitating isolation measures for confirmed cases to block mosquitoes. The Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention stated, “Most patients recover within a week of onset, but about 30 to 40% may experience prolonged joint pain,” emphasizing that “this is a crucial turning point for blocking community transmission.”
According to the WHO, there are currently no antiviral medications specifically for Chikungunya infection, and treatment involves using antipyretics and pain relievers upon infection. Therefore, the only preventive measure is not getting bitten by mosquitoes. Chinese authorities recommend measures to block mosquitoes in daily life, such as installing mosquito nets, wearing long sleeves, and removing stagnant water from flower pots, water dispensers, and aquatic plants. In some areas of Guangdong Province, more than 5,000 fish have been released into ponds and rivers to eliminate mosquito larvae.
Chikungunya fever was first reported in Tanzania in 1952 and has since been confirmed in over 110 countries. Dr. Diana Rojas Alvarez, a WHO expert on vector-borne infectious diseases, emphasized in a briefing on the 22nd, “Chikungunya fever is not widely known yet, but it is an infectious disease that requires global attention.”
According to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, the Aedes aegypti mosquito that causes Chikungunya fever does not inhabit the country, but Aedes albopictus does. As of June, Chikungunya virus has not been detected in all 636 Aedes albopictus mosquitoes collected domestically, and the current risk of transmission within the country is assessed as low. The first patient was confirmed in 2013, with a total of 71 infections over 12 years. As of July this year, one confirmed case has been reported.