Local authorities in Foshan in South China’s Guangdong Province continue mosquito eradication efforts to control the chikungunya outbreak on July 29, 2025. Photo: VCG

Zhongshan and Zhanjiang, in South China’s Guangdong Province will begin a health campaign on Friday to prevent the spread of chikungunya fever and other mosquito-borne diseases, following a citywide health campaign conducted throughout Foshan on Thursday.

Foshan in the province launched a health campaign on Thursday to combat the spread of chikungunya fever, according to an official announcement on the city government's WeChat account.
 
As part of the campaign, government departments, enterprises and institutions, village and community organizations, residential compounds, factories, commercial tenants and individuals are urged to take coordinated action to eliminate mosquito breeding grounds. Measures include environmental cleanups, removal of stagnant water from containers and ensuring full coverage with no blind spots, according to the Foshan local authorities.

According to the notice released via the Zhongshan city government's WeChat account, the actions include: carrying out environmental sanitation improvement activities, conducting mosquito eradication efforts, targeting sanitation blind spots, and organizing public education activities.

In Zhongshan, all towns, subdistricts should organize professional teams to spray insecticides to eliminate adult mosquitoes in locations such as drainage outlets, underground parking garages in residential communities, construction sites, schools, stairwells in residential buildings, and storage rooms. Residents are also encouraged to use aerosol insecticides, mosquito coils at home for mosquito control, according to the notice.

Zhanjiang will also carry out a citywide health campaign.
 
The chikungunya fever is transmitted through bites from infected Aedes mosquitoes and does not spread directly from person to person, Lu Hongzhou, head of the Third People's Hospital of Shenzhen, told the Global Times on Friday. Climate factors, viral evolution, and human mobility are major drivers of the virus’ spread, said Lu.

An effective response requires integrated strategies combining vaccine development, vector control, early warning systems, and other measures to curb transmission and reduce its health and socioeconomic impact, said Lu.

From July 29 to August 4, the number of daily newly reported local cases of chikungunya fever in Shunde district, Foshan, declined for several consecutive days, according to a notice on Foshan Fabu, the city government’s news WeChat account on August 5.
 
Global Times