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Time of India
11 hours ago
- Health
- Time of India
What is chikungunya, the virus now spreading in southern China?
London: Chinese authorities have taken measures this week to try to curb the spread of chikungunya , a virus that often causes fever and joint pain. As of Wednesday, the government reported there had been more than 7,000 cases, mostly in the southern manufacturing hub of Foshan. Here's what to know about chikungunya: What is chikungunya? Chikungunya is a disease caused by a virus of the same name. The chikungunya virus was first identified in people sickened during an outbreak in Tanzania in 1952. Its name is derived from a word in the Makonde language, which means "that which bends up," due to the severe pain it can cause. Chikungunya is transmitted by infected mosquitoes and mostly causes mild symptoms. The majority of people who get chikungunya recover without needing medical attention after one to two weeks. What are the symptoms of chikungunya ? Chikungunya typically produces symptoms including fever, muscle pain, nausea, fatigue and a rash. But in rare cases, it can cause debilitating joint pain that persists for months or even years. Patients who get severely ill often require hospitalization because of the risk of organ damage. The World Health Organization says severe cases and deaths are rare and mostly occur in babies or elderly people with underlying health conditions. Is there a treatment or vaccine? There is no specific treatment for chikungunya, but health workers can treat the symptoms by giving medicines to lower fevers or ease muscle pain. Two vaccines have been approved in several regions, including Britain, Brazil, Canada and Europe. Those are mostly targeted at travelers and are not widely available in the countries most affected by chikungunya. Where does chikungunya normally occur? Chikungunya causes regular outbreaks in Africa, Asia and the Americas, with occasional small epidemics in Europe. As of July, there have been about 240,000 cases of chikungunya, including 90 deaths in 16 countries, according to the European Centres for Disease Prevention and Control. The countries that reported the highest number of infections were Brazil, Bolivia, Argentina and Peru. What's happening in China? An outbreak of chikungunya in Foshan, near Hong Kong, has prompted Chinese authorities to take measures like distributing mosquito nets, having workers spray residential areas, streets and construction sites with insecticide. People who do not empty bottles, flower pots or other outdoor receptacles, where water might accumulate and allow mosquitoes to breed, can be subject to fines of up to 10,000 yuan ($1,400) and have their electricity cut off. The U.S. has issued a travel advisory telling citizens not to visit China's Guangdong province, the location of Donguan and several other business hubs, along with countries such as Bolivia and island nations in the Indian Ocean. Unusually heavy rains and high temperatures this year have worsened the crisis in China. Are we seeing more chikungunya outbreaks? Yes. The number of outbreaks has increased since 2000, just as there have been more outbreaks of other mosquito-transmitted diseases like dengue and Zika, according to Robert Jones, an assistant professor at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. Jones said in a statement that in 2013, chikungunya was first seen in the island of St. Martin and that over the next three years, cases were confirmed in almost 50 countries in the Caribbean and the Americas, with more than 1 million suspected cases. Jones said the risks of chikungunya epidemics have risen due to climate change and urban expansion, warning that the disease could spread to other parts of southern China with humid climates and dense cities.
Boston Globe
2 days ago
- Health
- Boston Globe
Chikungunya spreads in southern China
Chikungunya is a disease caused by a virus of the same name. The chikungunya virus was first identified in people sickened during an outbreak in Tanzania in 1952. Its name is derived from a word in the Makonde language, which means 'that which bends up,' due to the severe pain it can cause. Chikungunya is transmitted by infected mosquitoes and mostly causes mild symptoms. The majority of people who get chikungunya recover without needing medical attention after one to two weeks. Advertisement What are the symptoms of chikungunya? Chikungunya typically produces symptoms including fever, muscle pain, nausea, fatigue, and a rash. But in rare cases, it can cause debilitating joint pain that persists for months or even years. Patients who get severely ill often require hospitalization because of the risk of organ damage. The World Health Organization says severe cases and deaths are rare and mostly occur in babies or elderly people with underlying health conditions. Is there a treatment or vaccine? There is no specific treatment for chikungunya, but health workers can treat the symptoms by giving medicines to lower fevers or ease muscle pain. Two vaccines have been approved in several regions, including Britain, Brazil, Canada, and Europe. Those are mostly targeted at travelers and are not widely available in the countries most affected by chikungunya. Where does chikungunya normally occur? Chikungunya causes regular outbreaks in Africa, Asia, and the Americas, with occasional small epidemics in Europe. Advertisement As of July, there have been about 240,000 cases of chikungunya, including 90 deaths in 16 countries, according to the European Centres for Disease Prevention and Control. The countries that reported the highest number of infections were Brazil, Bolivia, Argentina, and Peru. What's happening in China? With thousands of confirmed cases, this appears to be the biggest chikungunya outbreak ever documented in China, according to César López-Camacho of the University of Oxford. 'What makes this event notable is that chikungunya has never been established in mainland China before,' he said in a statement. 'This suggests that most of the population had no preexisting immunity, making it easier for the virus to spread quickly.' In response to the outbreak in Foshan, near Hong Kong, Chinese authorities have begun taking measures like distributing mosquito nets, having workers spray residential areas, streets, and construction sites with insecticide. People who do not empty bottles, flower pots, or other outdoor receptacles, where water might accumulate and allow mosquitoes to breed, can be subject to fines of up to 10,000 yuan ($1,400) and have their electricity cut off. Unusually heavy rains and high temperatures this year have worsened the crisis in China. Are we seeing more chikungunya outbreaks? Yes. The number of outbreaks has increased since 2000, just as there have been more outbreaks of other mosquito-transmitted diseases like dengue and Zika, according to Robert Jones, an assistant professor at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. Jones said in a statement that in 2013, chikungunya was first seen in the island of St. Martin and that over the next three years, cases were confirmed in almost 50 countries in the Caribbean and the Americas, with more than one million suspected cases. Advertisement Jones said the risks of chikungunya epidemics have risen due to climate change and urban expansion, warning that the current outbreak could spread to other parts of southern China with humid climates and dense cities.
Washington Post
2 days ago
- Health
- Washington Post
What is chikungunya, the virus now spreading in southern China?
LONDON — Chinese authorities have taken measures this week to try to curb the spread of chikungunya , a virus that often causes fever and joint pain. As of Wednesday, the government reported there had been more than 7,000 cases, mostly in the southern manufacturing hub of Foshan. Here's what to know about chikungunya: Chikungunya is a disease caused by a virus of the same name. The chikungunya virus was first identified in people sickened during an outbreak in Tanzania in 1952. Its name is derived from a word in the Makonde language, which means 'that which bends up,' due to the severe pain it can cause. Chikungunya is transmitted by infected mosquitoes and mostly causes mild symptoms. The majority of people who get chikungunya recover without needing medical attention after one to two weeks. Chikungunya typically produces symptoms including fever, muscle pain, nausea, fatigue and a rash. But in rare cases, it can cause debilitating joint pain that persists for months or even years. Patients who get severely ill often require hospitalization because of the risk of organ damage. The World Health Organization says severe cases and deaths are rare and mostly occur in babies or elderly people with underlying health conditions. There is no specific treatment for chikungunya, but health workers can treat the symptoms by giving medicines to lower fevers or ease muscle pain. Two vaccines have been approved in several regions, including Britain, Brazil, Canada and Europe. Those are mostly targeted at travelers and are not widely available in the countries most affected by chikungunya. Chikungunya causes regular outbreaks in Africa, Asia and the Americas, with occasional small epidemics in Europe. As of July, there have been about 240,000 cases of chikungunya, including 90 deaths in 16 countries, according to the European Centres for Disease Prevention and Control. The countries that reported the highest number of infections were Brazil, Bolivia, Argentina and Peru. With thousands of confirmed cases, this appears to be the biggest chikungunya outbreak ever documented in China, according to César López-Camacho of the University of Oxford. 'What makes this event notable is that chikungunya has never been established in mainland China before,' he said in a statement. 'This suggests that most of the population had no preexisting immunity, making it easier for the virus to spread quickly.' In response to the outbreak in Foshan, near Hong Kong, Chinese authorities have begun taking measures like distributing mosquito nets, having workers spray residential areas, streets and construction sites with insecticide. People who do not empty bottles, flower pots or other outdoor receptacles, where water might accumulate and allow mosquitoes to breed, can be subject to fines of up to 10,000 yuan ($1,400) and have their electricity cut off. Unusually heavy rains and high temperatures this year have worsened the crisis in China. Yes. The number of outbreaks has increased since 2000, just as there have been more outbreaks of other mosquito-transmitted diseases like dengue and Zika, according to Robert Jones, an assistant professor at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. Jones said in a statement that in 2013, chikungunya was first seen in the island of St. Martin and that over the next three years, cases were confirmed in almost 50 countries in the Caribbean and the Americas, with more than 1 million suspected cases. Jones said the risks of chikungunya epidemics have risen due to climate change and urban expansion, warning that the current outbreak could spread to other parts of southern China with humid climates and dense cities. __ The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute's Department of Science Education and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
Nahar Net
2 days ago
- Health
- Nahar Net
What is chikungunya, the virus now spreading in southern China?
by Naharnet Newsdesk 06 August 2025, 17:40 Chinese authorities have taken measures this week to try to curb the spread of chikungunya, a virus that often causes fever and joint pain. As of Wednesday, the government reported there had been more than 7,000 cases, mostly in the southern manufacturing hub of Foshan. Here's what to know about chikungunya: What is chikungunya? Chikungunya is a disease caused by a virus of the same name. The chikungunya virus was first identified in people sickened during an outbreak in Tanzania in 1952. Its name is derived from a word in the Makonde language, which means "that which bends up," due to the severe pain it can cause. Chikungunya is transmitted by infected mosquitoes and mostly causes mild symptoms. The majority of people who get chikungunya recover without needing medical attention after one to two weeks. What are the symptoms of chikungunya? Chikungunya typically produces symptoms including fever, muscle pain, nausea, fatigue and a rash. But in rare cases, it can cause debilitating joint pain that persists for months or even years. Patients who get severely ill often require hospitalization because of the risk of organ damage. The World Health Organization says severe cases and deaths are rare and mostly occur in babies or elderly people with underlying health conditions. Is there a treatment or vaccine? There is no specific treatment for chikungunya, but health workers can treat the symptoms by giving medicines to lower fevers or ease muscle pain. Two vaccines have been approved in several regions, including Britain, Brazil, Canada and Europe. Those are mostly targeted at travelers and are not widely available in the countries most affected by chikungunya. Where does chikungunya normally occur? Chikungunya causes regular outbreaks in Africa, Asia and the Americas, with occasional small epidemics in Europe. As of July, there have been about 240,000 cases of chikungunya, including 90 deaths in 16 countries, according to the European Centres for Disease Prevention and Control. The countries that reported the highest number of infections were Brazil, Bolivia, Argentina and Peru. What's happening in China? With thousands of confirmed cases, this appears to be the biggest chikungunya outbreak ever documented in China, according to César López-Camacho of the University of Oxford. "What makes this event notable is that chikungunya has never been established in mainland China before," he said in a statement. "This suggests that most of the population had no preexisting immunity, making it easier for the virus to spread quickly." In response to the outbreak in Foshan, near Hong Kong, Chinese authorities have begun taking measures like distributing mosquito nets, having workers spray residential areas, streets and construction sites with insecticide. People who do not empty bottles, flower pots or other outdoor receptacles, where water might accumulate and allow mosquitoes to breed, can be subject to fines of up to 10,000 yuan ($1,400) and have their electricity cut off. Unusually heavy rains and high temperatures this year have worsened the crisis in China. Are we seeing more chikungunya outbreaks? Yes. The number of outbreaks has increased since 2000, just as there have been more outbreaks of other mosquito-transmitted diseases like dengue and Zika, according to Robert Jones, an assistant professor at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. Jones said in a statement that in 2013, chikungunya was first seen in the island of St. Martin and that over the next three years, cases were confirmed in almost 50 countries in the Caribbean and the Americas, with more than 1 million suspected cases. Jones said the risks of chikungunya epidemics have risen due to climate change and urban expansion, warning that the current outbreak could spread to other parts of southern China with humid climates and dense cities.
ITV News
2 days ago
- Health
- ITV News
Chikungunya outbreak in China: What is the virus and is the UK at risk?
More than 7,000 cases of chikungunya, a mosquito-borne virus, have been recorded in southern China. Heavy rain and flooding in the country have worsened the outbreak, prompting Chinese authorities to distribute mosquito nets and spray streets, residential buildings and work sites with insecticide. Health experts warn there is a risk of the outbreak spreading internationally, including to Europe, where locally-acquired cases have been detected in France and Italy. What is chikungunya? Chikungunya is transmitted by mosquitoes and usually causes mild symptoms like fever, joint pain, headache, swelling or a rash. The virus, which was first detected in Tanzania in 1952, is transmitted by infected mosquitoes. Most patients will recover within a week or two without medical treatment. But in rare cases, chikungunya can cause debilitating joint pain that lasts for months or even years. "Although chikungunya is a nasty disease and there are outbreaks, it pales into significance when compared to dengue, which is transmitted by the same mosquito," said Professor Will Irving, an Emeritus Professor of Virology at the University of Nottingham. According to the World Health Organisation, severe cases and deaths were rare and mostly occurred in babies or elderly people with underlying health conditions. Where is chikungunya a problem? There are regular chikungunya outbreaks in Africa, Asia and the Americas with occasional small epidemics in Europe. The frequency of outbreaks has increased since 2000, partly due to climate change and urban expansion. As of July, there had been about 240,000 cases of chikungunya recorded this year, including 90 deaths in 16 countries, according to the European Centres for Disease Prevention and Control. The countries that reported the highest number of infections were Brazil, Bolivia, Argentina and Peru. There have been 49 locally-acquired cases reported in France this year and two in Italy. What is the risk in the UK? Dr Robert Jones from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine said there was currently no risk of contracting chikungunya in the UK. "The mosquitoes that transmit chikungunya are not established in the UK, although they are found in parts of southern Europe," he said. "Occasionally, imported cases are diagnosed in returning travellers, but these do not lead to local transmission." There have been a small number of cases reported in England, Wales and Northern Ireland in recent years, with most people acquiring the virus in South Asia and South East Asia. Has there been any change to travel advice? No, there has been no change to UK travel advice at the moment. If people are travelling to areas where there is an outbreak, there is a greater risk of them being bitten by an infected mosquito and acquiring the virus. They should take extra precautions, like using insect repellent, wearing long sleeves and trousers, and staying in accommodations with screened windows or air conditioning. The US has issued a travel advisory to its citizens against visiting China's Guangdong province, Bolivia and island nations in the Indian Ocean. Is there a vaccine or treatment? There are currently no antiviral treatments to treat chikungunya. The only way to prevent chikungunya is to avoid mosquito bites. There are two vaccines approved for use in the UK, including one which was approved in June. It is designed for people planning to travel to an area where there is an outbreak, but it may not be advised for children or people over the age of 60. What is China doing to stop the spread? The chikungunya outbreak has been mostly across the city of Foshan, in the southern province of Guangdong, near Hong Kong. Authorities have been handing out mosquito nets to residents and have started spraying insecticide across the city. Locals who do not empty bottles, flower pots or other outdoor receptacles, where water might accumulate and allow mosquitoes to breed, risk being fined and having their electricity cut off. The outbreak in South China is actually quite small as far as chikungunya outbreaks go, but it is the biggest recorded in mainland China. Overseas, there was an outbreak in La Réunion in 2006, which had an estimated 260,000 chikungunya cases, while India reported 1.3 million cases between 2005 and 2006. In 2013, the virus was introduced to Saint Martin Island in the Caribbean and over the next three years, cases were confirmed in almost 50 countries or territories in the Caribbean, Central America, South America, and North America, with more than one million suspected cases. Could chikungunya become a pandemic? Professor Will Irving doesn't think so. "Transmission requires the presence of the appropriate mosquito," he said. "However, with climate change, the mosquitoes are spreading, and there are reports of the mosquito being present in parts of Europe."
