Likelihood of Chikungunya virus spreading across the world as 'pandemic response' triggered in China
China has reported over 7,000 cases of the chikungunya virus in the Guangdong province this year, and authorities have implemented 'forceful measures' in a bid to stop the spread.
COVID-19 took the world for a spin from 2020 to 2023, so it’s only natural to be worried about hearing the word ‘pandemic’ again.
Unlike COVID-19, which was an airborne virus, the Chikungunya virus is spread via bites from infected mosquitoes, primarily Aedes mosquitoes.
According to the BBC, 12 cities across Guangdong have reported cases of the virus, and Foshan, which is in the centre of the province, has the highest number of cases in southern China.
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A 12-year-old boy is also reported to be Hong Kong's first case after having previously travelled to Foshan.
What are the symptoms of the chikungunya virus?
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the primary symptoms are fever and joint pain. These symptoms often present themselves within a week of being bitten.
Other symptoms include headaches, rashes, and swollen muscles.
The virus is rarely fatal; however, in the most severe cases, patients have been left with joint pain years later.
How is the chikungunya virus spread?
The New York Times reports that this outbreak is the largest of its kind after the virus first emerged in 2008, with experts suggesting rising global temperatures have allowed mosquitoes to thrive in wetter, warmer weather.
Those infected with the virus, however, will usually see their symptoms resolved within 7 to 10 days.
Because it originates from mosquito bites, it isn't transmissible between people; rather, it can only be spread via the infected mosquito.
The UK Health Security Agency stated in 2014 that a British person infected with the virus abroad cannot transmit it to others because of this reason.
They also say that the Aedes mosquito is not in the UK as the temperature isn't consistent enough for them to breed.
However, in 2023, the UK Health Security Agency warned that, in a worst-case scenario, parts of the UK could potentially allow these mosquitoes to call the UK home by the 2040s and 2050s (via the BBC).
What measures are China taking to stop the virus?
Chinese authorities have now implemented similar measures to those of the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly in Foshan. There was an initial 14-day isolation period after travelling in and out of Foshan, but it has now been disbanded.
Authorities are also telling locals to remove stagnant water from their homes, or else face a 10,000 yuan fine ($1,400).
They also plan to release 'elephant mosquitoes' that will eat smaller chikungunya-spreading bugs, as well as 'an army of mosquito-eating fish', with around 5,000 larvae-eating fish being set upon lakes surrounding Foshan.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), two vaccines for the virus have been approved for use in several countries, but are not yet ready for widespread use.
Its website reads: “There are currently two chikungunya vaccines that have received regulatory approvals in several countries and/or have been recommended for use in populations at risk, but the vaccines are not yet widely available nor in widespread use.
"WHO and external expert advisors are reviewing vaccine trial and post-marketing data in the context of global chikungunya epidemiology to inform possible recommendations for use.”
With no antiviral treatments for the virus, the only thing a person can do if they have the virus is to take pain medication.
Topics: China, Health, Chikungunya virus
Britt Jones