Shocking images and serious public health crackdowns are arising from southern China as the nation scrambles to contain a fast-moving outbreak of the mosquito-borne Chikungunya virus.
Since the start of July, Guangdong province has recorded more than 7,000 confirmed cases with close to 3000 of those arising in the last week as per the BBC.
The city that has been the hardest hit is Foshan, and that’s where patients are now getting hospitalized and held until they either test negative or finish a complete week-long stay.
Images released by the local government in Foshan have shared some of the most chilling visuals of patients suffering from this virus. Some of them were covered with intense rashes across their bodies.
The city is in the heart of containment efforts that most are comparing to the early response to COVID. This virus isn’t being transmitted from one individual to another as it spreads through the bite of infected female Aedes mosquitoes.
But this speed of transmission has alarmed both health officials and the entire public. Today, the local government has vowed to take some decisive measures and implement forceful rules in regards to this outbreak. Currently, all of the measures are in full swing.
Twelve cities across Guangdong have spoken about infections. The virus has crossed different provincial borders. Hong Kong did confirm the first case which was entailing a 12 year old child that recently traveled to Foshan.