More Than 7,000 Cases of Chikungunya Virus Reported in China

As reported by multiple news outlets, including the Associated Press, more than 7,000 cases of chikungunya virus have been reported in China as of Wednesday. Most of the new cases have focused largely on the manufacturing hub of Foshan near Hong Kong and numbers of new cases appear to be dropping slowly, according to authorities.

Authorities have taken 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.

As pest management professionals know, chikungunya virus is primarily transmitted to people through the bite of an infected mosquito, mainly Aedes aegypti and Ae. albopictus. Chikungunya virus is spread to people by the bite of an infected mosquito.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, outbreaks have occurred in Africa, the Americas, Asia, Europe, and islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. There is a risk the virus can spread to unaffected areas by infected travelers.

The most common symptoms of chikungunya are fever and joint pain. Other symptoms can include headache, muscle pain, joint swelling, or rash.

There are currently no medicines to treat chikungunya. In addition to taking  measures to prevent mosquito bites, the Centers for Disease Control recommends vaccination for some travelers.

Sources: Associated Press and CDC.gov