Vice-premier urges south China’s Foshan to stamp out chikungunya as cases rise

A senior Chinese official has visited the epicentre of the country’s chikungunya fever outbreak, as the number of cases of the mosquito-borne virus rises.

Chinese Vice-Premier Liu Guozhong visited the southern city of Foshan in Guangdong province earlier in the week, urging authorities to “strictly implement port health quarantine measures”, state news agency Xinhua reported on Friday.

Liu told city authorities to “improve prevention and control measures”, “effectively eliminate mosquitoes” and “cut off epidemic spread channels”, the report said.

Foshan, a manufacturing hub of 10 million residents, accounted for about 60 per cent of 4,824 reported cases in Guangdong as of July 26, according to the provincial centre for disease control. There have been no fatalities.

In neighbouring Hong Kong, the Centre for Health Protection said on Friday that “according to the information from the Foshan health authority, as of July 30 there were over 6,500 cases”.

It said 5,660 cases were in Shunde district. All cases were mild, with no severe or fatal cases.

South China Morning Post