Foshan ends emergency response to Chikungunya outbreak as cases drop

Authorities in Foshan, Guangdong province, on Tuesday ended a Level III emergency response to a Chikungunya fever outbreak after the city entered a lower sporadic period of the mosquito-borne disease.

As of Monday, Foshan — the hardest-hit area since the outbreak began in July — had reported fewer than 50 new cases of Chikungunya fever per day for nine consecutive days, according to local government data.

"Based on the evaluation criteria provided by the national disease control task force and information released to the public by the National Health Commission, Foshan has entered a low-level sporadic phase of Chikungunya fever," Vice-Mayor Wen Xi said at a news conference on Tuesday.

The city will shift its prevention and control strategy from emergency response to routine management, Wen said. China has four response levels for major public health emergencies, with Level I being the highest.

"Under the professional guidance of national and provincial-level task forces, Foshan has strictly implemented various prevention and control measures, continuously focusing on key areas and actively promoting citywide campaigns against the disease," Wen said.

All patients have received effective treatment, and no severe cases or deaths have been reported, according to Han Ke, Party chief of the health bureau of Foshan. Public health specialists said the majority of patients recovered within a week without major aftereffects.

"The disease transmission chain has been effectively interrupted, as breeding grounds for mosquitoes have been eliminated, leading to a significant reduction in mosquito density in most affected villages and communities," Han said.

Han added that prevention and control efforts must remain in place, as frequent typhoons, rainfall and warm temperatures are expected to boost mosquito activity.

"The period from September to October in Guangdong is usually a prime season for mosquito-borne diseases like dengue fever," Han said.

Regular monitoring of mosquito density will continue in Foshan, and each detected case will be promptly addressed to quickly contain any sporadic outbreaks, Han said.

"Additionally, we will comprehensively improve medical treatment capabilities to fully ensure the health and safety of patients," he said.

With mosquito density now at a safe level and summer heat gradually easing, local authorities said they will go ahead with large-scale cultural, tourism and sports events. In early August, some high-profile concerts in Foshan were canceled because of the outbreak.