What’s fueling the surge in China?
Since July, Guangdong province in China has reported more than 7,000 cases of the chikungunya virus, leading to similar actions as during the Covid-19 pandemic. In Foshan City, patients are required to remain in hospitals, protected by mosquito nets, and are only allowed to leave once their tests come back negative or after a week-long stay. The virus can cause years-long fever and excruciating joint pain.
Chikungunya outbreaks are frequent in South and Southeast Asia as well as some regions of Africa, but they are uncommon in China. Nearly 3,000 infections have been reported in the past week alone, with at least 12 additional cities in the southern Guangdong province reporting cases, as quoted in a report by BBC.
According to officials, 95% of patients were released within seven days, and all cases that were reported were mild. However, because the virus is not well known in the nation, the cases have caused some panic. In light of the outbreak, the US has advised travellers to travel with “increased caution”.
How bad are the symptoms, and who is most likely to get them?
The virus usually makes you tired, gives you a fever, a rash, headache, swollen joints, muscular soreness and joint pain. Most people get better in a week, but some people have joint pain that lasts for months or years.The elderly, those with underlying medical disorders including diabetes or heart disease, and newborns are among those at risk for more severe disease.
What steps is China taking right now to stop the spread?
Local governments have started aggressive campaigns to get rid of mosquitoes. If people don’t get rid of standing water in and around their homes, they could be fined up to 10,000 yuan. People are using drones to find water sources, and they have put thousands of fish that eat mosquitoes into lakes. Officials are also using big “elephant mosquitoes” to find and kill mosquitoes that carry chikungunya.
Two cities in southeastern China have encouraged visitors returning from afflicted areas to keep an eye out for symptoms of the mosquito-borne disease, while the southern city of Foshan has mandated real-name registration for medications used to treat chikungunya fever.
How can people who travel keep chikungunya from getting them?
People who are going to areas where there is an outbreak should wear long sleeves, use an EPA-approved insect repellent, and sleep under mosquito nets if they need to.
Prevention & Treatment of Chikungunya
Prevention
Since no specific antiviral therapy is available, the main goal of treatment for chikungunya is symptom relief. It is recommended that patients take analgesics and antipyretics to control their fever and pain, rest, and drink plenty of water.
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In suspected cases of chikungunya, it is critical to rule out dengue because effective treatment of dengue can dramatically lower complications and mortality. For people who have chronic joint pain, physical therapy, corticosteroids, and NSAIDs may help, as per a report by CDC Health.
Treatment
The main goal of chikungunya prevention is to reduce mosquito exposure, particularly for visitors to endemic areas. EPA-registered insect repellents, protective clothing, and accommodations with air conditioning or screens should all be recommended to people. Two vaccines are available in the United States for individuals who are more susceptible, such as certain travelers and laboratory workers, making vaccination another effective preventive measure.
There are two vaccines that you can get right now:
IXCHIQ is a live-attenuated vaccine for adults 18 and older.
VIMKUNYA is a virus-like particle vaccine for people 12 and older.
The CDC says not to use IXCHIQ in people 60 and older until more research is done because there have been reports of bad effects in older adults.
People with chikungunya should also limit their exposure to mosquitoes during the first week of their illness in order to avoid local transmission.
Experts say that the outbreak in China is worrying, but it hasn’t reached the level of a pandemic yet. Getting rid of it is only possible with mosquito control, early diagnosis, and public awareness.
FAQs
Is chikungunya contagious among humans?
No, chikungunya is transmitted only through mosquito bites, not through human-to-human contact.
Can you get a chikungunya vaccine before traveling?
Yes, two vaccines (IXCHIQ and VIMKUNYA) are approved for use in the United States for specific age groups.
