Guangdong reports fall in cases of chikungunya fever

South China's Guangdong province reported 36 new chikungunya fever cases on Thursday, down from a daily peak of nearly 700 recorded a month ago, a health official said on Friday.

In the hardest-hit cities of Foshan and Guangzhou, the spread of the mosquito-borne virus has subsided to a low and sporadic level, said Xie Yang, spokeswoman for the National Health Commission, during a news conference.

The Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, neighboring Guangdong province, reported 21 new infections on Thursday, the majority in the capital of Nanning and Baise city. However, the nature of the outbreak across Guangxi is considered to be at a low level, Xie added.

Xie said mosquito control work should continue along with environmental sanitation campaigns, while people should take personal protective measures.