As China battles an outbreak of chikungunya fever, a mosquito-borne viral disease, Tajikistan’s health authorities say there is currently no threat to the country.

Speaking to Asia-Plus, Navrouz Jafarov, Deputy Head of the State Sanitary and Epidemiological Supervision Department at the Ministry of Health, confirmed that no cases of chikungunya have been recorded in Tajikistan and the situation is monitored daily.

The virus is spread by Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus mosquitoes, known for their striped bodies and tougher exoskeletons. These species are not found in Tajikistan, where local mosquitoes can only transmit malaria — a disease the country has been free from since 2023, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

Jafarov noted that there is no vaccine or specific treatment for chikungunya, which is managed with standard fever-reducing medicines.  The risk of death is very low, but symptoms can include high fever, severe joint and muscle pain, headache, fatigue, nausea, and skin rash.  While most patients recover within a week, joint pain can last for months or even years in severe cases, particularly among newborns, the elderly, and people with heart disease or diabetes.

China’s situation improving

In China, where the outbreak began, local media report that the number of new cases is declining. In the city of Foshan, fewer than 200 new daily cases have been recorded in recent days, with no severe cases or deaths reported, and over 90% of patients recovered.  Authorities have conducted mass testing, community disinfection, and a citywide campaign to eliminate mosquitoes by clearing stagnant water, spraying insecticides, and encouraging mosquito net use.

Earlier in August, more than 7,000 infections had been confirmed in Guangdong province, including over 6,500 in Foshan. Pharmacies were instructed to track sales of 47 symptom-relief medicines as part of the containment effort.