China combats disease outbreak that has left more than 7,000 cases
An outbreak of the chikungunya virus has prompted Chinese authorities to take preventative measures ranging from the use of mosquito nets and sprays of disinfectant, to threats of fines for those who fail to remove standing water and the use of drones to locate insect breeding sites .
Until today, Wednesday, August 6, there had been reports more than 7 thousand cases of the disease, concentrated mainly in the industrial center of Foshan, near Hong Kong. According to authorities, the number of new infections appears to be slowly decreasing.
Chikungunya is transmitted by mosquitoes and causes fever and joint pain, similar to dengue fever. Young people, older adults, and those with preexisting medical conditions are most vulnerable.
Chinese national television has shown workers spraying clouds of disinfectant on city streets, in residential areas, construction sites and other sites. The population could come into contact with mosquitoes carrying the virus, which are born in stagnant water.
Workers sprayed some areas before entering office buildings, a repeat of the controversial and strict tactics used by China to combat COVID-19.
Those who do not empty bottles, flower pots, or other containers outdoors can be fined up to 10,000 yuan (1,400 U.S. dollars) and have their electricity cut off.
The United States has issued an advisory advising its citizens not to visit China's Guangdong province, home to Dongguan and other business centers, as well as Bolivia and island nations in the Indian Ocean. Brazil is another country hardest hit by the virus.
Heavy rains and high temperatures in China have worsened the crisis, which is common in tropical regions but is much more intense this year.
China has become adept at coercive measures that many countries consider overkill since the deadly SARS outbreak in 2003. This time, patients are being forced to stay at the hospital in Foshan for a minimum of a week, and authorities imposed a brief two-week home confinement, which was lifted because the disease cannot be transmitted between humans.
There have also been reports of attempts to curb the spread of the virus by using fish that eat mosquito larvae and even larger mosquitoes to kill off virus carriers.
Meetings were held and protocols adopted nationwide in a demonstration of China's determination to eliminate the outbreak and avoid public and international criticism.
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