Taiwan Reports First Case of Chikungunya Fever from China Outbreak
Taiwan has confirmed its first case of chikungunya fever, a mosquito-borne virus, which was imported from southern China. This comes amidst a significant outbreak in China where confirmed cases have surged to over 8,000.
The outbreak has been especially severe in Foshan, a city in the Pearl River Delta known for its manufacturing activities. Roger Hewson, who leads virus surveillance at the UK’s Wellcome Sanger Institute, noted that this is the largest recorded outbreak of chikungunya in China to date.
According to Taiwan’s Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the virus was found in a Taiwanese woman who had traveled to Foshan and returned on July 30. While this is the first confirmed case for 2025, previous cases have been reported from other countries including Indonesia, the Philippines, and Sri Lanka.
In response to the outbreak, the CDC has raised its travel advisory for Guangdong province, where Foshan is located, to level 2 out of 3, advising travelers to take “enhanced precautions.”
Chikungunya can result in various symptoms such as high fever, rash, headache, nausea, and fatigue lasting up to a week. Additionally, joint and muscle pain may linger for weeks.
Hewson remarked that the rapid spread of the virus in Foshan and nearby areas is unprecedented for China. He pointed out that limited immunity within the population and suitable conditions for breeding of the virus-carrying mosquitoes, like Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus, have contributed to this surge.
In an effort to curb the outbreak, Chinese health authorities are implementing various containment measures including household inspections and mosquito control strategies like drone fogging. Residents in Foshan can face fines up to 10,000 RMB ($1,400) for storing water in outdoor containers, which attract mosquitoes.
This outbreak follows a period of heavy rainfall and typhoons in China, with Hong Kong experiencing its worst rainstorm in August since records began in 1884. Despite the alarming number of cases, Chinese state media reported that the outbreak may have peaked. Foshan recorded 2,892 local infections between July 27 and August 2, with no severe cases reported, according to the state-run Xinhua news agency. Kang Min, director of the Guangdong Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, mentioned that the recent increase in cases appears to be slowing down.
