The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued a warning for Americans to exercise “enhanced precautions” while traveling to China.
The warning was issued due to an outbreak of the mosquito-borne chikungunya virus.
The agency’s updated advisory highlights the rapidly spreading cases in Guangdong province, particularly in the city of Foshan.
In Foashan, over 7,000 cases have been confirmed since June 2025.
Chikungunya virus typically manifests with symptoms such as fever and joint pain.
The symptoms appear 3–7 days after being bitten by an infected mosquito.
Additional symptoms may include headache, muscle pain, joint swelling, or rash.
While most individuals recover within a week, some may experience severe joint pain for months or even years following the acute illness.
The CDC further cautioned that certain groups are at greater risk of severe disease.
Those groups include newborns infected around the time of birth, older adults (65 years or older), and those with medical conditions like diabetes or heart disease.
Despite the severity of the symptoms, death from chikungunya remains rare, and there is currently no specific treatment for the virus.
In Foshan, local efforts to control the outbreak have included deploying drones to identify mosquito breeding sites, according