Soldiers in hazmat suits spraying disinfectant, drones buzzing overhead, and sweeping quarantines; these images, eerily reminiscent of the early days of the Covid-19 pandemic, are once again unfolding across parts of China.
This time, the country is battling a different threat: the mosquito-borne Chikungunya virus, which has infected more than 7,000 people so far.
The outbreak has prompted a swift and wide-ranging response. But it's not just humans fighting the virus; authorities have also enlisted the help of a surprising ally: elephant mosquitoes, a species whose larvae feed on the virus-carrying Aedes mosquitoes.
As previously reported, Chikungunya is a viral disease transmitted primarily by Aedes mosquitoes — the same genus responsible for spreading dengue, Zika, and yellow fever.
It cannot be spread from person to person through coughing or touching but can, in rare cases, be transmitted through infected blood or blood products, per The Independent.
There is no specific antiviral treatment or vaccine for Chikungunya. Symptoms typically appear four to eight days after a bite from an infected mosquito and include high fever, rash, fatigue, and intense joint pain; a symptom so severe that it inspired the disease's name, which comes from the Kimakonde word meaning “to become contorted.”
While most people recover within a week, some develop chronic joint pain that can last for months or even years. In rare cases, the virus can be fatal, especially in vulnerable populations, per the World Health Organization (WHO).
In China, the worst-hit region is Foshan city in Guangdong Province, where nearly 3,000 cases were reported last week alone. At least 12 other cities in the province have also confirmed infections.
Authorities have responded by intensifying mosquito control efforts; clearing stagnant water, installing window screens, and deploying insecticides. Most notably, they've introduced Toxorhynchites or “elephant mosquitoes,” which don’t bite humans but feed on the larvae of virus-spreading species.
At present, the risk of local transmission in the US remains low. While small outbreaks have occurred previously from travelers who'd been to foreign countries, there haven't been any reports of the virus being locally acquired since 2019, according to Forbes.
The outlet also detailed that Chikungunya was "rarely found" in the US prior to 2006, and that about 28 people per year tested positive from 2006 to 2013.
With nearly 5.6 billion people worldwide living in at-risk areas, WHO has urged countries to ramp up preparedness to avoid repeating past mistakes. As Dr. Rojas Alvarez warned: “We are seeing history repeat itself.”