More than 7,000 cases of a mosquito-borne virus have been reported across China’s Guangdong province since July, prompting measures similar to those taken during the Covid-19 pandemic.
In the city of Foshan, which has been hit hardest, chikungunya patients must stay in hospital, where their beds will be protected with mosquito nets.
They can only be discharged from the hospital after testing negative or at the end of a one-week stay, foreign media write.
Spread through the bite of an infected mosquito, the virus causes fever and severe joint pain, which can sometimes last for years.
Although rare in China, chikungunya outbreaks are common in South and Southeast Asia and parts of Africa.
How widespread are infections in China?
In addition to Foshan, at least 12 other cities in the southern province of Guangdong have reported infections. Nearly 3,000 cases were reported in the last week alone.
On Monday, Hong Kong reported its first case – a 12-year-old boy who had a fever, rash and joint pain after traveling to Foshan in July.
The virus is not contagious and only spreads when an infected person is bitten by a mosquito that then bites others.
Officials say all reported cases have been mild so far, with 95% of patients discharged within seven days.
However, the cases have led to panic, given that the virus is not widely known in the country.
Meanwhile, the US has urged travelers to China to exercise “increased caution” following the outbreak.