WHO Warns of Potential Global Chikungunya Outbreak, China Increases Surveillance July 23, 2025 Geneva, Swit

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📰 WHO Warns of Potential Global Chikungunya Outbreak, China Increases Surveillance
🗓️ July 23, 2025
📍 Geneva, Switzerland / Guangdong, China

📄The World Health Organization (WHO) has issued an urgent warning regarding the potential for a global outbreak of chikungunya, a mosquito-borne viral disease comparable to dengue and Zika. The organization urges immediate preventative measures, particularly in tropical and subtropical regions.

Diana Rojas Alvarez, a WHO expert on vector-borne viruses, stated that “chikungunya remains largely unknown to the general public but has been identified in 119 countries worldwide.” The virus, transmitted by mosquitoes, causes high fever and severe joint pain, and there is currently no evidence of human-to-human transmission.

The current outbreak bears striking similarities to the 2004–2005 global spread that began in the Indian Ocean islands and infected nearly 500,000 people. In the latest resurgence, significant outbreaks have been reported in Réunion, Mayotte, and Mauritius, with Réunion—home to 880,000 people—reporting that up to one-third of its population may be infected.

The virus has since spread across Southeast Asia, India, Madagascar, Somalia, Kenya, and other nations. Confirmed cases have also appeared in Europe, including in France.

While the mortality rate is below 1%, Alvarez noted that “with millions infected, the death toll could reach into the thousands.” She emphasized the need to enhance national surveillance systems and early warning mechanisms to contain further spread.

China is also on heightened alert as the disease continues to spread within its borders. Health authorities in Shunde District, Foshan City, Guangdong Province—a region of 3.27 million people—confirmed 2,471 cumulative cases as of March 21.

According to state-run Global Times, additional cases were reported among international travelers in Beijing and other cities. Beijing’s Center for Disease Control and Prevention issued a public health advisory on March 22, calling for vigilance.

In Shaoxing, Zhejiang Province, local officials instructed residents who recently traveled to outbreak regions—including Africa, Southeast Asia, and Foshan—to report immediately if they experience fever symptoms.

He Jianfeng, Deputy Director of Guangdong’s Center for Disease Control, reported that all current cases in the province are mild. However, vulnerable groups such as newborns, the elderly over 65, and individuals with chronic illnesses like hypertension or heart disease are advised to exercise increased caution.

Global public health authorities anticipate a rapid surge in chikungunya cases in the second half of 2025, particularly in densely populated urban centers with poor mosquito control. Regional health systems are being urged to deploy vector control strategies, increase testing capacity, and prepare isolation protocols in advance. China’s internal transmission trend may serve as a precursor for regional outbreaks across East Asia.

With over 2,400 cases confirmed in a single Chinese city and one-third of Réunion’s population potentially affected, the reemergence of chikungunya presents a substantial global health risk. Vigilance, timely diagnostics, and coordinated cross-border containment efforts will be critical in the coming months.

🔗 Reported from Geneva, Switzerland – World News Health Correspondence Desk

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