China Launches Mosquito War to Contain Chikungunya Outbreak

As of 2025-08-06T12:48:41+00:00, China is facing a significant outbreak of the mosquito-borne chikungunya virus, with nearly 8,000 cases reported in less than a month, primarily in Foshan city, Guangdong province. In response, the Chinese government has launched a comprehensive effort to prevent the further spread of the disease, employing measures reminiscent of the country's "zero COVID" strategy during the pandemic.

Authorities have required chikungunya patients to stay in designated "quarantine zones" or hospitals, where their beds are protected by nets to limit the transmission of the virus. Patients are only discharged after testing negative. Additionally, soldiers have been deployed to spray insecticides in parks and streets, while more than 5,000 larvae-eating fish have been released into the lakes of Foshan.

The city's residents have been ordered to eliminate any stagnant water, and community workers have been tasked with inspecting homes. Households and businesses that do not cooperate could face fines of up to 10,000 yuan or even criminal charges for "obstructing the prevention of infectious diseases." Foshan has also mandated real-name registration for medication to treat chikungunya.

In addition to these ground-based efforts, the Chinese authorities have also turned to technology, using drones to identify mosquito breeding sites and reportedly introducing "elephant mosquitoes" whose larvae prey on the virus-carrying species. This multi-pronged approach aims to contain the outbreak and prevent its further spread within and outside the affected regions.

The chikungunya outbreak in China has prompted the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to issue a travel notice, and the World Health Organization has called for urgent action to prevent a repeat of the 2004-05 epidemic linked to the Indian Ocean region.