Last week, Hong Kong recorded its first case of chikungunya fever since 2019, swiftly followed by three more confirmed cases by Wednesday, August 6. The unfamiliar nature of the virus, more commonly seen in South and Southeast Asia, is giving rise to a lot of questions and concerns among Hong Kong residents fearful of an outbreak.

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.