Guandong province is facing a massive outbreak of a mosquito-borne virus, with thousands of infection cases

The authorities in China's southern Guangdong Province have reinstated Covid-style lockdown and containment tactics to curb a major outbreak of the mosquito-borne Chikungunya virus, which has already infected thousands of people.

The outbreak is centered in Foshan, a city 170km north of Hong Kong, where more than half of the nearly 8,000 reported cases have occurred.

The virus typically causes sudden fever, rash, and severe joint pain, which can be debilitating and sometimes prolonged. While it is rarely fatal, the symptoms can severely affect quality of life. Unlike Covid-19, which began in 2019 and led to more than 7 million deaths worldwide, according to the World Health Organization, Chikungunya is not directly transmitted person to person.

Infected individuals are being quarantined in special isolation wards or hospitals, local officials say. They are required to remain in beds protected by mosquito nets to prevent mosquitoes from biting patients and spreading the virus.

The local authorities have launched an aggressive anti-mosquito campaign, ordering residents to eliminate all stagnant water sources in and around their homes. Community workers are conducting door-to-door inspections, and those found in violation face fines of up to 10,000 yuan ($1,400) or even criminal charges for obstructing public health efforts.

Photos and videos shared on social media show empty, fog-filled streets, as insecticide is sprayed to control mosquito populations. Drones have been deployed to identify potential breeding sites, and the authorities have introduced elephant mosquitoes - a harmless species whose larvae prey on virus-carrying mosquitoes - into the local ecosystem.

In addition, thousands of mosquito-eating fish have been released into ponds and stagnant water bodies across the city. Guangdong has also implemented real-name registration for the purchase of any medications related to symptoms of the virus, aiming to track and manage cases more effectively. Chikungunya was first identified in Tanzania in the 1950s and has since caused outbreaks across Asia, Africa, the Americas, and Europe.

(RT.com)