Chinese Officials Expand Mosquito Control Across Guangdong Amid Chikungunya Outbreak

In response to a significant outbreak of chikungunya fever, Chinese and Hong Kong authorities have launched extensive mosquito prevention and control initiatives to curb the spread of the disease. Chinese Vice-Premier Liu Guozhong emphasized the urgency of scientific mosquito eradication, strict quarantine at ports, thorough epidemiological investigations, and adequate medical treatment in Guangdong province, the epicenter of the outbreak. Hong Kong's Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) and Housing Department have implemented multiple measures, including habitat cleaning, larvicide application, mosquito traps, fogging, and public awareness campaigns in recreational venues and public housing estates. Additionally, scientists in Guangdong have deployed predatory 'elephant mosquitoes,' whose larvae consume disease-carrying mosquitoes, as a biological control strategy. These coordinated efforts aim to eliminate mosquito breeding grounds, prevent imported cases, and reduce transmission chains to protect public health amid rising chikungunya cases in the region.