More than 7000 cases of the mosquito-borne chikungunya virus have been recorded in one Chinese province since July, triggering a pandemic-style response in the region.
Cases have exploded in China’s Guangdong province and patients are being protected in their hospital beds with mosquito nets.
Infected cases are only discharged after a negative test or seven days, whichever comes first.
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City-wide mosquito eradication efforts have also been deployed in Guangzhou.
Officials have reported all cases have been mild and most patients have been discharged from hospital within seven days.
“Serious cases are uncommon, but there are reports of severe cases or deaths during overseas outbreaks, so it is important to strengthen monitoring and maintain alert,” a statement from the National Health Commission and the National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine said.
Chikungunya outbreaks are unusual in China and it is believed the virus spread through an imported case in Foshan city.
Infections are widespread across over a dozen other cities in China.
Around 3000 cases have been recorded in Guangdong this week alone.
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Hong Kong also reported its first case earlier this week after a 12-year-old boy visited Foshan city and fell ill.
The virus is not contagious and can only be caught when an infected person is bitten by a mosquito species known as Aedes albopictus, which then goes on to transmit the virus onto another person.
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It cannot be spread from person to person, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) states the virus is rarely fatal and symptoms usually clear after two to three days.
US authorities have urged travellers to exercise “increased caution” due to the outbreak however SmartTraveller has not issued any advice to Australians yet.
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