The country has seen nearly 8,000 cases of Chikungunya in less than a month, mostly in Foshan city in Guangdong province, prompting authorities to impose measures akin to the "zero Covid" policy that saw the Chinese government employ some of the strictest regulations during the pandemic.

Chikungunya is a disease caused by a virus of the same name. The chikungunya virus was first identified in people sickened during an outbreak in Tanzania in 1952. Its name is derived from a word in the Makonde language, which means “that which bends up,” due to the severe pain it can cause.

In a citywide campaign to curb a mosquito-borne virus, residents of Foshan face inspections and warnings for failure to comply.