A new virus is spreading in China, and it’s more painful than Covid

The city of Foshan in southern China’s Guangdong province has become the focal point of a chikungunya outbreak that has now infected more than 7,000 people. The virus, spread through the bite of Aedes mosquitoes, has triggered alarm among health officials both locally and abroad.

The outbreak has prompted China’s National Health Commission to report 2,940 new cases in just one week, from 20 to 26 July. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued a Level 2 travel alert, urging visitors to exercise "increased caution" and to protect themselves from mosquito bites.

Chikungunya outbreak: CDC flags concern, cites no treatment

In its latest travel notice, the CDC confirmed the outbreak in Guangdong, noting that most cases are concentrated in Foshan. The agency described the virus as a mosquito-borne illness that causes "fever, joint pain, headache, muscle pain, rash, and joint swelling". Most symptoms appear three to seven days after a person is bitten.


There is no treatment for chikungunya, the CDC added, although most people recover within a week. In some cases, especially in the elderly or those with conditions like heart disease and diabetes, joint pain can linger for months or years. "Death is rare," the CDC stated.

The organisation also said: “Vaccination is recommended for people who are visiting areas with outbreaks.” Two vaccines have been approved in the United States for use in adults and older children.

China launches aggressive mosquito control

With infections rising fast, local authorities in Guangdong have rolled out strict mosquito control and quarantine measures. In Foshan, patients diagnosed with chikungunya are required to remain in hospital wards fitted with mosquito nets. Discharge is only permitted after a negative test or completion of a week-long stay.

Residents have been ordered to eliminate stagnant water in and around their homes. This includes flowerpots, coffee machines, and even discarded bottles. Fines of up to 10,000 yuan (roughly $1,400) have been announced for those who fail to comply.

To further curb mosquito breeding, officials in Foshan recently released 5,000 larvae-eating fish into city lakes. Drones are being flown to detect hidden pools of water. In some areas, large non-biting "elephant mosquitoes" have been deployed to prey on the disease-carrying types.

“This is scary”: Public worry grows online

While all reported cases so far have been mild, and 95 percent of patients are discharged within seven days, the outbreak has stirred anxiety among the public. A user on the Chinese platform Weibo posted, "This is scary. The prolonged consequences sound very painful."

Another user wrote, "These feel so familiar... But are they really necessary?" in reference to the strict quarantine policies. A third questioned, "What's the point of the quarantine? It's not as though an infected patient will then go around biting other people?"

Some cities had even introduced 14-day home quarantine for people travelling from Foshan, though these restrictions have since been lifted.

Weather adds pressure to health crisis

The timing of the outbreak could hardly be worse. Southern China has just experienced some of the heaviest August rainfall since 1884. Torrential rain has battered the Pearl River Delta region, including Guangzhou and Hong Kong, flooding roads and paralysing airports.

In Guangzhou alone, more than 360 flights were cancelled. Rescue teams were seen clearing mudslides, unblocking drains, and pumping out floodwater as roads turned into brown rivers.

These conditions have heightened the risk of mosquito breeding. Provincial authorities warned that the next few weeks would be particularly difficult, saying that typhoons and stagnant water from flooding could worsen the outbreak.

The extreme weather has already cost lives. At least five people died in Guangdong over the weekend as rivers rose to levels not seen since 2017.

What is the Chikungunya virus?

Chikungunya is not a new virus. First identified in Tanzania in 1952, it is now known to circulate across more than 110 countries, according to the World Health Organization. Its name comes from the Makonde language, meaning “to become contorted”, a reference to the hunched posture seen in patients with severe joint pain.

Outbreaks are more common in South Asia, Southeast Asia, and Africa. In China, cases have typically been imported. Liu Qiyong, chief expert in vector-borne disease control at China’s CDC, told CGTN, “With the virus spreading globally, imported cases have inevitably reached China.”

The World Health Organization also warned: "The best way to prevent the virus from spreading is to reduce pools of stagnant water that allow the mosquitoes to breed."

Hong Kong confirms first Chikungunya case linked to Foshan

On Monday, Hong Kong reported its first confirmed case of chikungunya. The patient, a 12-year-old boy, had developed fever, rash, and joint pain after visiting Foshan in July. Officials stressed that the virus is not spread between people and only infects someone through a mosquito bite.

Chikungunya outbreak: What are the symptoms?

Chikungunya symptoms closely resemble those of dengue and Zika, making diagnosis tricky without testing. The World Health Organization said the illness usually begins with “abrupt onset of fever, frequently accompanied by severe joint pain.” Other symptoms can include rash, muscle aches, fatigue, and joint swelling.

Although the infection is rarely fatal, joint pain can persist for weeks or longer in vulnerable groups such as infants, the elderly, and those with chronic illnesses.

According to a study published in Nature earlier this year, around 35.3 million people are infected by chikungunya annually across 180 countries. The virus causes an estimated 3,700 deaths each year, which is roughly 0.01 percent of total cases.

As of now, global health agencies are not treating the situation in Guangdong as an international emergency. However, the CDC has urged all travellers to affected areas to “practise enhanced mosquito precautions” and, where available, consider vaccination.

With two to three typhoons forecast to strike China this August, the window for mosquito control could narrow further. Public health officials say early action, public cooperation, and mosquito management will be crucial in preventing a wider health crisis.