Pandemic fears soar as China forced to impose new Covid-style rules

China hit with outbreak of chikungunya virus

China has brought in tough new measures, similar to those seen during the Covid pandemic, as part of attempts to stop the spread of a major virus outbreak in the south of the country. Authorities across the Guangdong province say they will take "decisive and forceful" action to try to stop infections of chikungunya, which has symptoms like fever, joint pain, headaches and nausea.

More than 7,000 cases of the disease, which is spread by mosquitoes, have been reported so far, with the majority of infections in Foshan. In the city, patients are being made to stay in hospital for a minimum of one week. Authorities also briefly introduced a two-week home quarantine, which was dropped since the disease cannot be transmitted between people. Other measures taken by authorities include mosquito nets, warning of fines for people who fail to disperse standing water and even deploying drones to target insect breeding grounds.

A worker sprays insecticide in a residential area of Foshan, China (Image: Getty)

Heavy rain and hot temperatures in Guangdong is beleived to have worsened the spread of the disease (Image: Getty)

Chinese state television 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.

Workers sprayed some places before entering office buildings, as previously seen during the coronavirus pandemic.

In addition, people who do not empty bottles, flower pots or other outdoor receptacles can be subject to fines of up to 10,000 yuan (£1,046) and have their electricity cut off.

In a sign of China’s wish to eliminate the outbreak and avoid criticism, meetings have reportedly been held and protocols adopted at the national level.

The World Health Organisation has raised concerns over the spread of the virus.

"We are seeing history repeating itself," warned medical officer Diana Rojas Alvarez who compared the current spread to an epidemic between 2004 and 2005 which infected almost 500,000 people.

The US has issued a travel health advisory over chikungya for China’s Guangdong province, as well as countries like Bolivia, Kenya, Mauritius and a number of other nations in the Indian Ocean region.

There is no advice currently on the UK’s Foreign Office website.

Hong Kong, close to Foshan, reported its first case on Monday - a 12-year-old boy who developed symptoms after travelling to Foshan.

Chikungunya is typically found in tropical and subtropical regions, with heavy rains and high temperatures in China worsening the situation.

According to the NHS, symptoms of chikungunya can range from mild or non-existent to severe.

Serious complications are not common, but in older people the disease can contribute to the cause of death, the NHS said.