Knock knock! Chikun-who?

You might recall that mosquitoes are one of the deadliest insects in the world, based on the number of people that are killed every year from various diseases transmitted by mosquitoes. 

In 2025, mosquitoes have become even more deadly. China’s southern industrial hub has thus far recorded over 3,000+ chikungunya cases so far this month, which is yet another mosquito-borne virus that first appeared in mainland China almost 20 years ago.

A Short History 

Chikungunya is not entirely new. It was first formally identified in 1952 in Tanzania by the World Health Organization. Some of the obvious symptoms upon infection include fever and severe joint pain, as well as secondary lesser effects like muscle pain, headaches, nausea, vomiting, rashes, and fatigue.

Chikungunya infection happens when a mosquito with the virus bites a person. Fortunately, the virus doesn’t spread from person to person through bodily contact or saliva; however, blood transmission may be possible (there were reports of healthcare providers getting the virus after handling the blood of an infected person)

This surge in cases is likely due to a booming population of Aedes mosquitoes, the main transmission vector for the virus. The Aedes mosquitoes are already infamous for spreading other viruses; they’re aggressive, day-biting mosquitoes that thrive in warm, wet conditions. Because of that, more than 5 billion people across 119 countries are classified as living in areas at risk from chikungunya, according to the WHO. 

Although the mortality rate of Chikungunya fever is only about one percent, the death toll could reach thousands if there’re millions of cases.

Already, over 200,000 cases and 80 deaths were reported in 14 countries in 2025, according to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control.

What To Do

Let your healthcare provider know ASAP if you are exhibiting symptoms of chikungunya and have recently traveled to an area of the world with known chikungunya transmission! Your doctor can then order a blood test to diagnose chikungunya.

Treatment for chikungunya mainly focuses on managing a person’s symptoms: This includes drinking plenty of water and getting lots of rest. Most people will feel better within one week of their first symptoms, although some report ongoing joint pain for several months or years. 

The good news is that most evidence suggests that once you’ve had chikungunya, you’re unlikely to get it again because you develop immunity to the virus.

Cure?

At present, there isn’t a cure for chikungunya, but the illness is temporary. You can, however, prevent it by getting the vaccine and being cautious when traveling to areas where chikungunya outbreaks are common.

The Bigger Picture

The largest cluster in Guangdong serves as a tacit reminder of the effect of climate change. Guangdong is located in a hot and humid area of southern China, which is just about the perfect hotbed for tropical diseases such as the Chikungunya virus.

That’s not all: Remember Dengue, malaria and zika? These viruses have periodically had outbreaks cropped across the tropical belt over the past decade, but they’ve been steadily expanding their reach, because climate change now enables mosquitoes to live in new geographical territories that were previously too cold or dry for mosquitoes (particularly, the Aedes mosquito characterized by their striped patterns). 

For example, France and Italy, which are located thousands of miles away from Guandong, have also reported Chikungunya cases this year.

It also doesn’t help that the pace of international travel has accelerated ever since the Covid-19 pandemic. A huge outbreak across territories in the Indian Ocean region at the start of 2025 also accentuated concerns of a spread to other countries; the severity was so great that the WHO even issued an urgent call to action.

Moreover, the worryingly low population immunity doesn’t help in containing the spread of these diseases. This means that population susceptibility is elevated in areas where chikungunya outbreaks haven’t tended to occur since individuals would only have had limited or even no prior exposure to the virus to build up immunity.

In such circumstances, it is up to local communities and residents to play their part in enforcing stricter anti-mosquito measures. 

Actions Needed

You can always resort to simple actions like using insect repellent or deploying mosquito netting/screens to keep mosquitos out.

If you’re able, actions such as clearing stagnant water and ensuring that drainage channels remain unobstructed will further protect you.

Going an extra step in the fight against vector-borne diseases can potentially save lives.

Reference List‌

Cdc.gov. (2022). Available at: https://www.cdc.gov/chikungunya/media/images/RS1102LVV7AedesaegyptiAdultFeeding2022005lpr16.9.jpg [Accessed 30 Aug. 2025].

chinadailyhk. (2025). Greater Bay Area in joint fight against Chikungunya fever. [online] Available at: https://www.chinadailyasia.com/hk/article/616521 [Accessed 30 Aug. 2025].

Cleveland Clinic. (n.d.). What Is Chikungunya? [online] Available at: https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/25083-chikungunya.

Europa.eu. (2025). Available at: https://www.ecdc.europa.eu/sites/default/files/styles/is_large/public/images/20250716210244_Chikungunya_3_months_rate.png?itok=dTjdF1Hg [Accessed 30 Aug. 2025].

Fabiano Maisonnave (2025). JBS Among Meatpackers Fined as Brazil Crack Down on Illegal Cattle. [online] Bloomberg.com. Available at: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-08-28/jbs-among-meatpackers-fined-by-brazilian-government-amid-illegal-cattle-roundup [Accessed 30 Aug. 2025]. ‌