An outbreak of the chikungunya virus in China has prompted authorities to launch aggressive prevention efforts – from distributing mosquito nets and spraying disinfectant to imposing fines on those who fail to eliminate standing water and deploying drones to locate mosquito breeding sites.
More than 7,000 cases have been reported as of Wednesday, concentrated mainly in Foshan, a manufacturing hub near Hong Kong, which has recorded just one case.
Officials say new infections are slowly declining.
Chikungunya, transmitted by mosquitoes, causes fever and severe joint pain similar to dengue fever, with young children, the elderly and those with underlying health conditions most vulnerable.
Chinese state television has shown workers spraying clouds of disinfectant around city streets, residential areas, construction sites and other places where people may come into contact with virus-bearing mosquitoes that breed in standing water.
Workers sprayed some areas before entering office buildings, a throwback to China’s controversial hardline tactics used to battle the COVID-19 virus.
People who do not empty bottles, flower pots or other outdoor receptacles can be subject to fines of up to 10,000 yuan ($1,400) and have their electricity cut off.
The U.S. has issued a travel advisory urging citizens to avoid China’s Guangdong province – home to Dongguan and several other business hubs – along with countries such as Bolivia and island nations in the Indian Ocean.
Brazil is among the other countries hit hard by the virus.
Heavy rains and high temperatures have worsened the crisis in China, which is generally common in tropical areas but unusually severe this year.
China has become adept at coercive measures many nations consider over-the-top since the deadly 2003 SARS outbreak.
This time, patients in Foshan are being forced to stay in hospitals for a minimum of one week.
Authorities briefly enforced a two-week home quarantine, which was dropped after experts noted the disease cannot be transmitted between people.
Reports have also emerged of efforts to stop the virus’s spread using fish that eat mosquito larvae and even larger mosquitoes to prey on virus-carrying insects.
Meetings have been held and protocols adopted at the national level, signaling China’s determination to eliminate the outbreak and avoid public and international criticism.