China is facing one of the worst chikungunya outbreaks, which has alarmed the world as sporadic infections are being recorded worldwide. The WHO has issued an advisory.
Written by Abeer Athar |Published : July 25, 2025 10:34 AM IST
China already has a history of dealing with one of the worst virus outbreaks in human civilisation, and the new outbreak seems to be nothing unusual. It has been noted that one of the cities in China’s southern industrial hub has been seeing an uptick in Chikungunya cases. The city has reportedly recorded more than 3,100 Chikungunya cases by the end of this month.
Chikungunya Outbreak In China
This is not the first time that the county has been recording a Chikungunya outbreak; its biggest outbreak of the mosquito-borne Chikungunya virus remains the one that emerged on the mainland almost two decades ago.
The Foshan city in the Guangdong Province of China, which lies to the north of Hong Kong, has reported the cases of an exotic Chikungunya case earlier this month.
As per China’s national broadcaster CCTV, which has reported the insights from the local authorities. It has been made clear that despite the fact that the Chinese health officials have yet to explain the source and the reason behind this outbreak, the Guangdong Province has already implemented rigorous anti-mosquito measures to inhibit the growth of the infection. In the course of action, the authorities have taken several measures that include urging residents to clear stagnant and still water and ensuring that the drainage channels remain unobstructed and open.
Chikungunya: Symptoms And Treatment
Chikungunya is one of the serious mosquito-borne conditions that was first spotted on the radar in 1952 in Tanzania. It is known to be transmitted to humans through infected mosquitoes, as per the World Health Organisation.
The disease can manifest as one of the serious health conditions and can cause symptoms like high fever, severe joint pain, and in some severe cases, it can even lead to long-term disability. What makes it concerning is that, yet, it doesn’t have any approved treatment, and it can spread more quickly through mosquito populations.
Guangdong Chikungunya Outbreak Has Alarmed Other Regions
The outbreak in the Guangdong region has raised fresh concerns that other regions like this one, that are often hot and humid areas of southern China, can be a potential site for tropical diseases that can arrange from dengue to malaria and even zika. The outbreak can be a potential warning that these diseases are widening their reach.
What makes this alarming is the fact that in these times of climate change, the mosquitoes can expand in new territories that have now become warmer and wetter, which makes them fit for their survival. A rapid rise in international travel and low population immunity are also factors contributing to the factors of acceleration.
Chikungunya Outbreak: Major Countries Gripped By The Virus
China is not the only country that has recorded a surge in Chikungunya infection cases, but there has been an explosion in the cases in the Indian Ocean as well. the region has seen an uptick in the cases since the start of 2025 and that has ignited alarms of a possible spread to the other countries.
WHO Issues Advisories
This has prompted the WHO to take action and issue an urgent call to action this week. The WHO has been showing great concern about the virus’s alarming presence in Europe. While chikungunya has been a frequent visiting tropical disease, which is accelerated by changing climates and increased global travel. Since May 1, France has recorded a total tally of around 800 imported chikungunya cases.
What makes the situation concerning is that 12 local transmission episodes have been put on the radar in southern French regions, which means that the patients have gotten the virus from local mosquitoes as they have no history of travelling to an infected area. Alarmingly, a locally transmitted case was detected in Italy last week.
Worst Chikungunya Hits China: What The Experts Are Saying
“The surge in chikungunya cases is likely due to favourable climatic conditions that allow blooms of the Aedes mosquito population,” said Robert Jones, Assistant Professor in the Department of Disease Control at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine.”These are aggressive, day-biting mosquitoes that thrive in warm, wet conditions.”He added.
China had recorded its first chikungunya case back in 2008, which wasn’t native and was detected at an airport in Guangdong, which later went on to infect 253 people, as per the reports.
“Globally, population susceptibility is likely elevated in areas where chikungunya outbreaks haven’t tended to occur. The wave is attributable to lower levels of population immunity as individuals in these regions may have had limited or no prior exposure to the virus,” said Patricia Gallego Delgado, Associate Director at London-based disease forecasting firm Airfinity Ltd.
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