JAKARTA - The United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is reportedly considering issuing a travel warning to China after a spike in cases of its potentially deadly chikungu virus infection emerged. This was first reported by Bloomberg News.
Reporting from the independent.co.uk page, China has recorded nearly 5,000 cases of disease transmitted through the bite of this mosquito since the first findings recorded in early July 2025.
Guangdong Province, which is located near Hong Kong, is the region with the highest number of cases, which is nearly 3,000 cases in just the past week.
According to data from the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), this virus has caused 90 deaths and more than 240 thousand cases in at least 16 countries so far this year.
"TheCDC is aware of reports of its chikungu outbreak in China's Guangdong Province and is currently assessing the magnitude and extent to which the outbreak broke out," a spokesman from the CDC said.
The chikungu virus spreads through the bite of an infected mosquito. Similar outbreaks have previously occurred in Africa, America, Asia, Europe, as well as various islands in the Indian Ocean and Pacific region.
In its official guidance, the CDC states that there is a risk of spreading the virus to areas that have not been affected through travelers who carry the infection.
The main symptoms of this infection include fever and joint pain, and can be accompanied by headaches, muscle aches, joint swelling, and skin rashes. In serious cases, this infection can cause long-term disabilities.
Until now, there is no specific drug to treat the chikungu. The CDC advises travelers to take preventive measures to avoid mosquito bites while traveling.
The CDC in Atlanta routinely issues travel health warnings so that the public understands what preventive measures need to be taken, especially in the midst of disease outbreaks or natural disasters.
The World Health Organization (WHO) also issued an emergency call on Tuesday last week to prevent a repeat of its chikungu virus pandemic, as happened two decades ago.
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The WHO reports that a new outbreak originating from the Indian Ocean region has now spread to Europe and various other continents.
Diana Rojas Alvarez, WHO medical officer, stated that currently there are about 5.6 billion people living in risk areas in 119 countries around the world.
He added that since 2004, the chikungu outbreak has become increasingly frequent and widespread due to the genetic adaptation of the virus which makes it easier to spread.
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