Chikungunya in Southern China: What You Need to Know About the 2025 Outbreak

The CDC has issued a Level 2 travel advisory due to rising chikungunya cases in southern China and other regions.

An Aedes aegypti mosquito on human skin in a lab of the International Training and Medical Research Training Center in Cali, Colombia, on Jan. 25, 2016. Luis Robayo/AFP/Getty Images

China is currently grappling with its largest-ever outbreak of chikungunya, a mosquito-borne viral illness, with the epicenter in Foshan, a major city in southern Guangdong Province.

The illness caused by the chikungunya virus (CHIKV) is spread exclusively through mosquito bites—not through human-to-human contact. The virus is primarily transmitted by Aedes mosquitoes, which thrive in warm, humid climates. Once infected, a person can serve as a source of the virus for other mosquitoes, fueling further spread.

In response, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a Level 2 travel advisory for countries and regions experiencing chikungunya outbreaks, including China’s Guangdong Province. The advisory urges travelers to exercise enhanced precautions.

Here’s what the public needs to know about the disease.

What Is Chikungunya?

Chikungunya is a mosquito-borne viral illness caused by CHIKV, transmitted primarily by Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus mosquitoes—the same mosquitoes that carry dengue and Zika.

The disease is not spread from person to person. Instead, an infected mosquito transmits the virus to a human through a bite. If a mosquito bites an infected person, it can then spread the virus to others.

The virus was first identified during an outbreak in Tanzania in the 1950s. Its name comes from the Kimakonde language of southern Tanzania, meaning “that which bends up,” referring to the bent posture caused by severe joint pain, one of its hallmark symptoms.

Symptoms and Health Impact

Symptoms typically appear three to seven days after being bitten by an infected mosquito, and may include high fever, severe joint pain, muscle pain, headache, rash, nausea, and swollen joints.

Most people recover within two weeks, but in some cases—particularly in infants, the elderly, or those with preexisting health conditions—joint pain can become chronic and debilitating.

Currently, there are no approved or specific antiviral drugs available to treat chikungunya virus infection.

Typical Epidemiological Hotspots for Chikungunya

Historically, chikungunya outbreaks have been common in South and Southeast Asia, as well as parts of Africa. Prior to the current outbreak in southern China, cases in China had been very rare.

An employee of Brazil's National Health Foundation fumigates against the Aedes aegypti mosquito, vector of the Dengue, Chikungunya fever, and Zika viruses, in Gama, 28 miles south of Brasilia, on Feb. 17, 2016. Evaristo Sa/AFP/Getty Images

Since 2004, CHIKV outbreaks have become increasingly frequent and widespread, partly due to viral mutations that enhance transmission by Aedes albopictus, also known as the Asian tiger mosquito.

A major outbreak between 2004 and 2007 infected nearly half a million people in the Indian Ocean region alone. It began in Kenya and rapidly spread across the Indian Ocean islands. Then, it extended through South Asia and Southeast Asia before eventually reaching parts of tropical and subtropical Europe and the Americas.

Chikungunya is uncommon in the United States. According to the CDC, there have been no reported cases of local transmission since 2019.

2025 Outbreak in China: What’s Happening?

China is currently experiencing its largest-ever chikungunya outbreak, centered in Guangdong Province, particularly in Foshan City.

Since June 2025, more than 7,000 cases have been confirmed, and the number continues to rise. New infections have been reported in at least 13 cities across southern China, along with one imported case in Hong Kong.

Most cases have been mild, with more than 95 percent of patients discharged within a week. As of early August, no deaths have been reported.

However, these figures should be viewed with caution, as Chinese authorities have a history of concealing or underreporting epidemic outbreaks.

Experts in China believe the outbreak is fueled by warmer temperatures, high humidity, and increased breeding of mosquitoes, especially the Aedes albopictus.

Globally, approximately 240,000 chikungunya cases have been reported across 16 countries and territories as of July 2025, according to the European CDC.

What You Can Do to Stay Safe

While the current outbreak in China is the main focus, the World Health Organization strongly recommends following preventive measures for anyone living in or traveling to areas with active mosquito populations.

The most effective way to reduce CHIKV transmission is by controlling mosquito populations and eliminating breeding sites. This requires community involvement—regularly emptying and cleaning water containers, disposing of waste properly, and supporting local mosquito control programs.

During outbreaks, health authorities may also deploy insecticides to kill adult mosquitoes, treat surfaces where mosquitoes rest, and target larvae in standing water.

Individuals in affected areas are advised to wear protective clothing that minimizes skin exposure, install window and door screens to keep mosquitoes out, and apply mosquito repellents containing DEET, IR3535, or icaridin.