More than 7,000 chikungunya cases have been reported in Guangdong as the CDC advises enhanced precautions for American travelers.
American travelers heading to China face new health risks as the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a travel advisory this month warning of a rapidly spreading mosquito-borne virus outbreak that has infected more than 7,000 people in Guangdong province since June.
Chinese health officials confirmed the surge in cases represents one of the largest chikungunya outbreaks in the region’s recent history.
The rare chikungunya outbreak in China has raised public health concerns about the virus globally. What is chikungunya, and what are its risks for U.S. citizens?
What Is Chikungunya?
Chikungunya fever is caused by a virus transmitted by infected female mosquitoes of the Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus species, which can also transmit dengue and Zika viruses. The unusual name “chikungunya” means “bends you up” or “stooped walk” because the infection causes severe joint and muscle pain.
The virus does not spread from person to person—rather, mosquitoes become carriers after biting an infected person and can then transmit the virus to others through subsequent bites.
While the disease rarely causes severe health problems or death, the symptoms are unpleasant and include sudden high fever, headache, fatigue, rash, nausea, and red eyes.
Symptoms often appear within two to seven days after being bitten by an infected mosquito. Although most people get better within a couple of weeks, others have longer-lasting problems. Around 25 to 40 percent of people who get infected may develop chronic conditions such as joint and muscle pain.
People 50 years or older are at a greater risk of developing chronic conditions from chikungunya. Women are at a higher risk than men.
First identified in the United Republic of Tanzania in 1952, chikungunya has spread rapidly since 2004. Today, approximately one-third of the world’s population lives in areas where the illness is endemic, including parts of the Americas, Africa, Asia, Europe, and various island regions. This year alone, approximately 240,000 chikungunya cases and 90 deaths have been reported globally across Central and South America, Africa, the Indian Ocean region, and Asia.
