Guangdong ramps up efforts to stem spread of Chikungunya outbreak

Authorities in Guangdong province are ramping up prevention and control measures to swiftly cut off the transmission chain of Chikungunya fever, officials said.

"We need to focus on key areas and launch a thorough battle to eradicate the disease," Wang Weizhong, governor of Guangdong, said during a conference on epidemic prevention and control in Foshan on Wednesday.

As of Tuesday, 2,934 cases of Chikungunya fever had been reported in the Shunde district of Foshan, the hardest-hit area, marking an increase of 463 cases from the previous day, according to local health authorities. Most cases are concentrated in Lecong, Beijiao and Chencun townships, and have been mild, officials said.