US considering China travel warning after nearly 5,000 cases of deadly virus: report
US could issue travel warning over deadly mosquito-borne virus
- The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is set to issue a travel notice for China due to a significant rise in chikungunya infections.
- China has recorded nearly 5,000 cases of the mosquito-borne illness since early July, with almost 3,000 cases reported in Guangdong province in the last week alone.
- Globally, there have been 90 deaths and 240,000 cases across at least 16 countries this year, according to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control.
- The World Health Organisation (WHO) has issued an urgent call for action to prevent a repeat of the chikungunya epidemic, estimating 5.6 billion people in 119 countries are at risk.
- Chikungunya, which causes fever and joint pain, is spread by infected mosquito bites and can be carried to unaffected areas by travellers, with no specific medicine available for treatment.