How China is battling the chikungunya virus

Killer fish, "cannibal" mosquitoes and drones are just three of the tactics that China is using to fight a new virus.

After thousands of cases of the debilitating chikungunya infection were found across the southern Guangdong province, public health officials have been creative in their efforts to contain it.

'Compulsive killers'

China employed hardline tactics during the Covid-19 pandemic and this time the authorities are using similar "patriotic public health" measures like mass testing, mandatory quarantines, widespread surveillance and citywide lockdowns . But they are also using more novel methods.

The virus is transmitted by infected mosquitoes, so China is using giant "compulsive killers", known as elephant mosquitoes, whose larvae "devour" the Aedes mosquito, which passes