Malaria spreads in China – is it a threat to Uzbekistan?

In the past week, nearly 4,000 new cases of chikungunya fever have been recorded in China’s Guangdong province. According to Chinese authorities, no severe cases or deaths have been reported so far. The Committee for Sanitary and Epidemiological Safety and Public Health of Uzbekistan has also commented on the situation.

It was noted that the outbreak of chikungunya fever in China does not pose a threat to Uzbekistan. The mosquitoes that transmit the disease — Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus — are not found in Uzbekistan's natural environment.

“The Sanitary and Epidemiological Committee is taking systematic measures to ensure epidemiological stability in the country,” the official statement said.

Chikungunya is a viral disease transmitted to humans through the bites of infected mosquitoes. Symptoms typically appear 3 to 7 days after infection. The most common symptoms are high fever and joint pain, though headache, muscle pain, joint swelling, and skin rashes may also occur.

Newborns infected at birth, the elderly (over 65), and people with underlying health conditions such as heart disease, hypertension, or diabetes are at higher risk of developing more severe forms of the illness.

According to the World Health Organization, chikungunya is spread by mosquitoes mainly in Africa, Asia, and the Americas, though occasional outbreaks have been reported in other regions. Currently, there is no approved vaccine or specific antiviral treatment for the disease.

Chinese infectious disease experts link the recent surge in cases to the rainy season, which has led to an increase in the mosquito population. Although large-scale spread has been prevented, health officials emphasize the importance of preventive measures — including draining stagnant water, destroying mosquito breeding sites, and avoiding mosquito bites.

Meanwhile, Chinese media report that scientists have started releasing larger species of mosquito larvae that prey on mosquitoes carrying the dengue virus, as part of vector control efforts.