China tackles chikungunya virus outbreak with wide range of measures as
thousands fall ill
[August 06, 2025]
TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — An outbreak of the chikungunya virus in
China has prompted authorities to take preventive measures from mosquito
nets and clouds of disinfectant, threatening fines for people who fail
to disperse standing water and even deploying drones to hunt down insect
breeding grounds.
More than 7,000 cases of the disease have been reported as of Wednesday,
focused largely on the manufacturing hub of Foshan near Hong Kong.
Numbers of new cases appear to be dropping slowly, according to
authorities.
Chikungunya is spread by mosquitoes and causes fever and joint pain,
similar to dengue fever, with the young, older people and those with
pre-existing medical conditions most at risk.
Chinese state television has shown workers spraying clouds of
disinfectant around city streets, residential areas, construction sites
and other areas where people may come into contact with virus-bearing
mosquitos that are born in standing water.
Workers sprayed some places before entering office buildings, a
throwback to China’s controversial hardline tactics used to battle the
COVID-19 virus.
People who do not empty bottles, flower pots or other outdoor
receptacles can be subject to fines of up to 10,000 yuan ($1,400) and
have their electricity cut off.
The U.S. has issued a travel advisory telling citizens not to visit
China's Guangdong province, the location of Donguan and several other
business hubs, along with countries such as Bolivia and island nations
in the Indian Ocean. Brazil is among the othe rcountries hit hard by the
virus.
[to top of second column]
|
In this photo released by Xinhua News Agency, residents wade through
debris along a flood-hit street after waters from a river
overwhelmed towns following days of heavy rain, in Huaiji County,
south China's Guangdong Province on June 19, 2025. (Deng Hua/Xinhua
via AP, File)
 Heavy rains and high temperatures
have worsened the crisis in China, which is generally common in
tropical areas but came on unusually strong this year.
China has become adept at coercive measures that
many nations consider over-the-top since the deadly 2003 SARS
outbreak. This time, patients are being forced to stay in hospital
in Foshan for a minimum of one week and authorities briefly enforced
a two-week home quarantine, which was dropped since the disease
cannot be transmitted between people.
Reports also have emerged of attempts to stop the virus spread with
fish that eat mosquito larvae and even larger mosquitos to eat the
insects carrying the virus.
Meetings have been held and protocols adopted at the national level
in a sign of China's determination to eliminate the outbreak and
avoid public and international criticism.
All contents © copyright 2025 Associated Press. All rights reserved |
