Chikungunya Outbreak Grips Southern Chinas Foshan City; 2,658 Confirmed Cases Reported

According to the Shunde District Health Commission, so far, most confirmed cases of the viral disease are mild.

With the onset of the monsoon season in China, so are the Chikungunya cases. As of Monday, Foshan City in South China’s Guangdong Province has recently confirmed a total of 2,658 Chikungunya cases in four districts.

According to the Shunde District Health Commission, so far, most confirmed cases of the viral disease are mild.

Designated Hospitals

As per reports, currently, Foshan City has designated 53 hospitals with over 3,600 mosquito-proof beds prepared to treat Chikungunya patients. And 35 designated hospitals to test for Chikungunya PCR testing.

To prevent further spread of the virus outbreak, individuals who test positive for Chikungunya will be kept in designated treatment facilities.

City On High Alert To Halt Community Transmission

Lu Hongzhou, Head of The Third People’s Hospital of Shenzhen, tells a leading media outlet that the city is currently in a critical phase to combat the Chikungunya outbreak; hence, efforts are now being focused on halting community transmission to prevent further spreading beyond the city.

Prioritising prompt identification, diagnosis, and treatment of cases, medical institutions in Foshan now report positive PCR test results to the China CDC’s online system on the same day the diagnosis is made, which enables a review process at the district, city and provincial level to be completed within two hours, Lu told.

Beijing And Shaoxing Issued Health Advisories

With Chikungunya cases increasing daily in Foshan, cities including Beijing and Shaoxing are now on high alert, having issued health advisories on preventing the viral disease.

On Tuesday, the Beijing Center for Disease Prevention and Control (CDC) stated that imported cases of Chikungunya have been detected in Beijing, and with increasing international travel, the risk of imported cases remains ongoing.

To prevent the epidemic of the mosquito-borne Chikungunya virus, the World Health Organization (WHO) also issued an urgent call on July 22nd.

How To Prevent Chikungunya?

The Chikungunya virus is spread through the bite of an infected mosquito. According to the National Institute of Health (NIH), the best way to prevent the viral disease is to prevent mosquito bites and get vaccinated before travelling. Here are some ways to prevent mosquito bites, as per NIH:

Use Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)-registered insect repellent.
Wear long-sleeved shirts and pants.
Treat clothing and gear with 0.5% permethrin.
Choose lodging with air conditioning or screens on windows and doors; use a mosquito net if you will be sleeping outdoors.