The CDC has issued a travel warning for Americans visiting China due to a fast-growing chikungunya virus outbreak in Guangdong province.
Since June 2025, more than 7,000 cases have been confirmed in the city of Foshan, making this China’s largest recorded chikungunya outbreak. The virus, spread by infected mosquitoes, causes fever, joint pain, headache, and rash.
While symptoms typically resolve in a week, joint pain can persist for months or even years in some patients. Those at higher risk of severe complications include newborns, seniors over 65, and individuals with conditions such as heart disease or diabetes. There is currently no specific treatment.
“What makes this event notable is that chikungunya has never been established in mainland China before,” said Cesar Lopez-Camacho of the University of Oxford. “This suggests that most of the population had no preexisting immunity, making it easier for the virus to spread quickly.”
The CDC now advises travelers to take “enhanced precautions” when visiting China, especially Guangdong province. The agency also recommends vaccination before travel. There are two FDA-approved vaccines for chikungunya in the U.S.
China has launched an aggressive campaign to fight the outbreak. Measures include drones searching for mosquito breeding grounds, workers spraying insecticide in public areas, and even releasing mosquito-eating fish into ponds.
Residents in Foshan have been fined for failing to eliminate standing water around their homes. Chinese state media has shown footage of insecticide being sprayed outside homes, offices, and construction sites. In some cases, workers were required to spray residents with repellent before allowing them indoors.
In the early stages of the outbreak, Foshan authorities enforced a one-week hospital stay for patients and briefly imposed a two-week home quarantine. That policy was later scrapped, as the disease is not transmitted person-to-person.
The CDC says global chikungunya activity is high, with more than 240,000 cases reported across 16 countries as of July. Other hotspots include Bolivia, Kenya, Sri Lanka, and parts of Asia and South America. Travelers to Brazil, India, Mexico, the Philippines, and Thailand are also at elevated risk.
“You can protect yourself by preventing mosquito bites,” the CDC advisory stated. “Use insect repellent, wear long-sleeved clothing, and stay in air-conditioned or screened-in areas.”
Officials in China have escalated the response with national-level meetings, aiming to avoid international backlash and public panic — a sharp reminder of the government’s strict virus containment history dating back to SARS in 2003 and COVID-19 in 2020.
The CDC urges anyone who develops fever, rash, or joint pain during or after travel to seek immediate medical attention.