Since July, China’s Guangdong province has seen more than 7,000 cases of the mosquito-borne chikungunya virus, leading officials to take COVID-19-style steps.
Although at least 12 other Guangdong cities have also reported cases, the news reports that the outbreak is centered in the city of Foshan, which is the most severely affected location.
In the past week alone, around 3,000 cases have been confirmed. Hong Kong announced its first case on Monday, involving a 12-year-old child who had just visited Foshan.
A virus called chikungunya causes fever and excruciating joint pain. It is exclusively spread by an infected mosquito’s bite and is not communicable. The virus is more prevalent in South and Southeast Asia than it is in China.
