Numerous southern Chinese towns have had more than 7,000 cases of the Chikungunya virus, which is spread by mosquitoes.
In July, the World Health Organisation issued a warning that a serious chikungunya virus outbreak could spread around the world and urged immediate action to stop it. The majority of the cases were in the Shunde area of Foshan when the outbreak started in China in late July.
What does Chikungunya mean?
Chikungunya is a virus carried by bites from infected mosquitoes, according to the federal government website, healthdirect. Asian tiger mosquito and dengue mosquitoes are the vectors of the virus.
It cannot be communicated from person to person and is instead spread by infected female mosquitoes, which generally bite during daytime hours. Outbreaks of Chikungunya mostly happen in South-East Asia and some regions of Africa. The virus was initially detected in Tanzania in 1952.
It subsequently materialized in other sub-Saharan Africa and South-East Asian countries. It has so far been recorded in over 110 nations. The period of showing symptoms is 3 to 7 days following a bite of an infected mosquito.
The following are the most common symptoms:
- Joint pain
- Swelling and stiffness of the joints
- Fever
Other symptoms are:
- Muscle pain
- Headache
- Rash on body and limbs
- Nausea
- Fatigue
Death as a result of Chikungunya is rare. Individuals of advanced age (old persons i.e. above 65 years), persons affected by high blood pressure, diabetes, or heart diseases, or even new born children can be more severe than normal.
Chikungunya has no particular treatment, however, pain reliefs can be used to ease the joint pain. It improves, or resolves, in a majority of people without treatment.
In case you develop chikungunya, during fever, you should prevent mosquito mosquito bites. This is so as not to infect another mosquito that would in turn transfer the virus to other individuals.
Chikungunya has two licensed vaccines,which have been licensed in certain countries namely, the US and the UK, not used widely or in common use.
The Government of China is equally practicing the same precautions as in COVID-19 pandemic and keeping the patients secluded in hospital beds with mosquito nets, and making home visits to ensure that no stagnant water is lying around.
The Chinese Center of Disease Control and Prevention has provided guidelines on the avoidance of Chikungunya virus and dengue fever, an ailment of the same nature but caused by mosquitoes.
The form of physical protections that were suggested included the use of screen doors, mosquito nets and mosquito repellent on bate skin.
Beijing CDC reported on Tuesday that the city has occasionally witnessed some imported cases of Chikungunya fever.
