Mitra Jakarta– The Chinese government is making great efforts to control the chikungunya virus outbreak, which has sharply increased in the last week. As of Wednesday (8/6/2025), local authorities have recorded more than 7,000 cases, mostly found in Foshan, an industrial city in southern China near Hong Kong.
This outbreak is called the largest ever recorded in China. “What makes this event stand out is the fact that chikungunya had never truly established itself on the Chinese mainland before,” said César López-Camacho, a researcher from the University of Oxford, in his statement.
She added that this shows that most residents have not yet developed immunity to the virus, so it spreads quickly.
What is Chikungunya?
Chikungunya is a disease caused by the chikungunya virus, first identified during an outbreak in Tanzania in 1952.
The name “chikungunya” comes from the Makonde language, meaning “that which makes the body bend,” referring to the severe joint pain that patients can experience.
This virus is transmitted through the bite of an infected mosquito, and usually causes mild symptoms such as fever, nausea, fatigue, muscle pain, and rash.
However, in a small number of cases, chikungunya can cause severe and prolonged joint pain, even for months or years.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), severe cases and deaths from chikungunya are rare, usually occurring only in infants or the elderly with certain medical conditions.
No Specific Medicine
To date, there is no specific treatment for chikungunya. Management is done by alleviating symptoms, such as administering fever-reducing and pain-relieving medications.
Two types of vaccines have been approved for use in several countries such as the UK, Brazil, Canada, and Europe, but these vaccines are mainly focused on travelers and have not yet spread widely in the most affected countries.
Global Spread and Its Impact
Chikungunya is not a new disease in the world. This virus regularly causes outbreaks in African, Asian, and American regions, and sometimes spreads to Europe.
As of July 2025, the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control recorded approximately 240,000 chikungunya cases in 16 countries, with 90 deaths. Countries with the highest number of cases include Brazil, Bolivia, Argentina, and Peru.
In China, the situation has been exacerbated by heavy rainfall and unusual temperatures. Local governments are now intensively spraying insecticides in residential areas, roads, and construction sites.
They also distributed mosquito nets to prevent mosquito bites.
In addition, residents found leaving water pools in bottles, flower pots, or other containers that could potentially become mosquito breeding grounds may be fined up to 10,000 yuan (approximately Rp22 million), and even have their electricity cut off.
Increased Risk due to Climate Change
Experts warn that chikungunya outbreaks have the potential to occur more frequently as a result of climate change and urban expansion.
“Since 2000, we have indeed seen a surge in mosquito-borne diseases, including dengue and Zika,” said Robert Jones, assistant professor at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.
Jones warned that in 2013, chikungunya was first detected in St. Martin, and within three years spread to almost 50 countries in the Caribbean and America, with more than one million suspected infection cases.
“An outbreak in China could spread to other southern regions with a humid climate and high population density,” he said.
With the rapidly evolving situation and potential for widespread transmission, public attention and government preparedness are key to preventing greater impacts from this chikungunya virus.***