Could Chikungunya Virus Now Spreading Through China Be the Next Pandemic?
- Natalie Frank
- 6 days ago
- 5 min read
Chikungunya Virus is primarily spread through mosquito bites but with global warming and travel-related cases, outbreaks around the world are bound to increase
Natalie C. Frank, Ph.D August 7, 2025
Foshan, China — Chinese health authorities are racing against time to control a rapidly spreading outbreak of Chikungunya virus, a mosquito-borne disease that can cause intense fever and crippling joint pain. As of this week, more than 7,000 cases have been confirmed, primarily in the southern industrial city of Foshan, making the largest outbreak ever recorded in mainland China.
What is Chikungunya?
The virus and subsequent illness was first identified in Tanzania in 1952. Since then, Chikungunya has become a continuous global health threat, with persistent outbreaks seen across Africa, Asia, and the Americas.
Chikungunya, caused by a virus of the same name, is primarily transmitted by infected mosquitoes, predominantly the Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus, the same mosquitoes that spread the dengue and Zika viruses. The name of the disease comes from from the Makonde language, meaning “that which bends up,” referring to the joint pain the illness can causes. While some people don't get serious joint pain, in some cases, the pain can be so severe it forces sufferers to literally bend over in agony.
How Chikungunya is Spread
Similar to over 100 other diseases, people are infected with Chikungunya after being bitten by an infected mosquito. While the disease, in most cases, doesn't pass from person to person, mosquitos become infected when feeding on a person who has the virus. This means that in many countries that have a large number of mosquitos, there is a danger from people who travel to areas where the virus is prevalent, in that they can infect local mosquitos.
Blood born Chikungunya has occurred when health workers have handled infected blood or drawn blood from someone infected with the virus. Rarely, in utero transmission is also possible and a mother can pass the virus to her baby when giving birth. To date, there have been no reported cases of a baby acquiring the disease from breast feeding.
The CDC has just issued a "Level 2" travel alert, warning American travelers, saying they are at a higher risk of exposure to the chikungunya virus if they visit China, Brazil, Colombia, India, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan, the Philippines, or Thailand.
Symptoms and Severity
In most cases, chikungunya results in the sudden onset of high fever, muscle aches and pains, nausea, fatigue, and a red rash. The joint pain can be debilitating.
Though the majority of people infected with the virus recover fully within one to two weeks,
rarely, chikungunya can result in prolonged joint inflammation and pain lasting months or years, severely affecting quality of life. Those with weakened immune systems including infants, and the elderly, are those most at risk of infection and serious complications that can require hospitalization due to potential organ damage.
According to the World Health Organization, deaths from chikungunya remain uncommon and mostly occur in vulnerable groups.
Treatment and Prevention
Currently, no antiviral medication exists to cure chikungunya. Treatment focuses on alleviating symptoms with pain relievers and fever reducers. While two vaccines have received approval in select countries such as the UK, Brazil, Canada, and parts of Europe, these vaccines mainly target travelers and remain unavailable in the regions where Chikungunya is endemic.
With over 7000 thousand confirmed cases, this appears to be the largest Chikungunya outbreak ever documented in China, according to César López-Camacho of the University of Oxford.
“What makes this event notable is that chikungunya has never been established in mainland China before. This suggests that most of the population had no preexisting immunity, making it easier for the virus to spread quickly," Lopez-Camacho said.
In response, local authorities have launched aggressive control efforts including widespread insecticide spraying across neighborhoods, residential zones, and construction sites, alongside distribution of mosquito nets. Officials have imposed fines up to 10,000 yuan (approximately $1,400) and possible power cuts, for residents who don't eliminate standing water sources that serve as mosquito breeding grounds.
This year’s unusually heavy rains along with soaring temperatures have created the perfect breeding conditions, accelerating the spread of the virus.
Chikungunya Virus in the U.S.
Prior to 2006, chikungunya was rarely found in U.S. travelers. From 2006–2013, there was around 28 people per year in the U.S. who tested positive for recent Chikungunya virus infection. All of them were travelers visiting or returning to the United States from areas with high rates of the virus in Asia, Africa, and the Indian Ocean.
In l2013, the first local transmission cases of Chikungunya virus in the Americas were identified in Caribbean countries and territories. Local transmission means that mosquitoes in the area have been infected with the virus and are spreading it to people. This is contrasted to people who acquired the virus while traveling or living abroad.
Starting in 2014, chikungunya was reported in U.S. travelers returning from affected areas in the Americas, and at the same time, local transmission was identified in Florida, Texas, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
In 2015 Chikungunya became a nationally notifiable condition in the U.S. This required all cases to be reported to CDC by state and local health departments.
Locally acquired Chikungunya cases have not been reported by U.S. states or territories since 2019. However travel related Chikungunya continues to affect states that are warm and have environmental conditions that encourage the breeding of mosquitos. To date, 46 cases of travel related Chikungunya have been reported in the U.S. in 2025.
A Global Trend of Rising Mosquito-Borne Illnesses
Chikungunya isn’t an isolated concern. Since 2000, outbreaks of mosquito-borne diseases like Chikungunya, dengue, and Zika have increased significantly worldwide. Robert Jones, assistant professor at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, points to this worrying trend.
“In 2013, Chikungunya first appeared in St. Martin, and within three years, almost 50 countries in the Caribbean and Americas reported cases, with over 1 million suspected infections,” Jones noted. The geographic expansion demonstrates the virus’s increasing threat in an era of climate change and rapid urban development.
Jones warns that the current Chinese outbreak may not remain contained, cautioning health experts that it could spread further across southern China’s humid, densely populated urban centers.
Could Chikungunya Become the Next Pandemic?
Health experts have said that because of the way it's spread and that mosquitos require warm conditions to survive it is highly unlikely for the virus to turn into another global pandemic. However, in places where the virus is endemic, it's possible to see large outbreaks similar to what they are experiencing in China. At the same time, experts warn that cases have begun increasing in the U.S. and elsewhere due to global warming which allows mosquitos to survive farther north.
Why This Matters to Everyone
The growing rates of Chikungunya serves as a reminder of how shifting climate patterns and human activity create environments for emerging diseases. With no guaranteed vaccine widely available and no direct treatment, prevention through mosquito control and community involvement becomes critical.
For millions worldwide, the impact of the virus in more than just illness. The virus results in crippling joint pain, long-term disability, and over burdened health systems, threatening the lives and livelihoods of everyone in a vulnerable region.
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Medical Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. It is not a substitute for professional medical diagnosis, treatment, or care. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or treatment. Do not disregard or delay professional medical advice based on information read here. The author and publisher are not responsible for any adverse effects or consequences resulting from the use of any suggestions, products, or procedures discussed in this article.
