There is a virus wreaking havoc on the city of Foshan in southern China, infecting thousands of people in just a matter of weeks.
It's called Chikungunya, and it's one of many viruses transmitted by mosquitoes.
To fight the spread, the New York Times reported that health officials in China have turned to methods such as drones to find mosquito breeding sites and introduced natural predators like "elephant mosquitoes" and mosquito-eating fish.
Chikungunya virus is not something new, and it is rarely fatal. But the ongoing outbreak is one of the worst China has seen since 2008, according to the New York Times.
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What is Chikungunya?
The mosquito-borne illness was first discovered in the United Republic of Tanzania in 1952, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). The name chikungunya derives from a word in the Kimakonde language of southern Tanzania, meaning “that which bends up” — a reference to the contorted posture of infected people who suffer from severe joint pain.
There have been sporadic outbreaks in the Americas, Asia and Africa. Occasionally, Europe has seen small outbreaks of the virus.
How does it spread?
Infected female mosquitoes can transmit the virus through biting. These same mosquitoes are also responsible for spreading dengue and Zika viruses.
What are the symptoms?
The virus can take up to a week after an infected mosquito bite before its symptoms start to develop, according to WHO. They typically start with a fever and severe joint pain. The joint pain can be debilitating and can last days, weeks or even years in more extreme cases.
Other symptoms include joint swelling, muscle pain, headache, nausea, fatigue and rash. WHO said since these symptoms overlap with other mosquito-borne infections, like dengue and Zika, cases can sometimes be misdiagnosed. A blood sample can help to determine if the infection is chikungunya virus.
Most patients recover fully from the infection; however, there have been some rare cases that have resulted in eye, heart, and neurological complications.
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Is there a treatment or vaccine?
There is no specific antiviral drug treatment for chikungunya infections. Treatment usually involves medications to manage the fever and joint pain.
According to WHO, there are two chikungunya vaccines that have received regulatory approvals or have been recommended for use in populations at risk in several countries, but the vaccines are not yet widely available.
The best way to prevent the virus is to prevent a mosquito bite through repellent with DEET, clothing that minimizes skin exposure, window and door screens and insecticide-treated mosquito nets.
