Residents walk past a residential entrance gate displaying a slogan urging mosquito control, in Guangzhou, south China's Guangdong Province, August 6, 2025
AN OUTBREAK of the chikungunya virus in China has prompted authorities to take preventive measures from mosquito nets and clouds of disinfectant, threatening fines for people who fail to disperse standing water and even deploying drones to hunt down insect breeding grounds.
More than 7,000 cases of the disease have been reported as of today, focused largely on the manufacturing hub of Foshan near Hong Kong. Numbers of new cases appear to be dropping slowly, according to authorities.
Chikungunya is spread by mosquitoes and causes fever and joint pain, similar to dengue fever, with the young, older people and those with pre-existing medical conditions most at risk.
Chinese media has shown workers spraying clouds of disinfectant around city streets, residential areas, construction sites and other areas where people may come into contact with virus-bearing mosquitos that are born in standing water.
People who do not empty bottles, flower pots or other outdoor receptacles can be subject to fines of up to 10,000 yuan (£1,044) and have their electricity cut off.
