Cases of the chikungunya virus in China have escalated, with nearly 3,000 new cases last week, bringing this year’s total up to 7,000 in the Guangdong province alone. The epicenter of this epidemic seems to be the city of Foshan, where measures such as mosquito nets and insecticide sweeps have been rolled out in a citywide cleanup effort.
There have been confirmed infections in at least 12 cities across southern Guangdong province.
On Monday, Hong Kong identified its first case: a 12-year-old boy who developed symptoms including fever, rash, and joint pain after visiting Foshan in July. So far, all cases have been mild, and most patients recover quickly, Chinese authorities report.
Still, many people have never heard of the chikungunya virus and need to know more. In this gallery, we'll explore what causes it, how to treat it, and prevention methods.
Curious to know more about chikungunya? Click through now.