Tiger Mosquitoes and the Rising Threat of Dengue Fever: How to Stay Safe in Mainland France

2023-10-30 08:08:31

Tiger mosquitoes have struck once more in mainland France. Since May 1, they have transmitted dengue fever 36 times to people who had never traveled.

It is necessary to differentiate between indigenous cases and imported cases. “Imported” refers to travelers who return to France sick with dengue fever, 1,350 cases this year, a number multiplied by five in one year. These imported cases are more and more numerous because dengue is everywhere. These people were mostly returning from the Antilles, where there is a very strong epidemic, but also from America, Africa and Asia.

Concerning the 36 “native” cases recorded by Public Health France, these are French people infected with dengue fever without having traveled. If we exaggerated, we might say that they may not have even moved from their sofa. They were bitten by an infected tiger mosquito following puncturing a sick person.

Last year was an exceptional year, with 65 indigenous cases recorded. The 2023 season is not over. With temperatures still high for autumn, tiger mosquitoes remain active and might further contaminate mainland France. Should we be worried regarding dengue? People infected with dengue are often asymptomatic. But in rare cases, the illness that causes high fevers and pain can kill. A 9-year-old child recently died in Martinique.

A case in Île-de-France, a first also in northern Europe

What should be remembered is rather the expansion of the tiger mosquito in mainland France, now present in 71 departments. Only parts of Brittany, Normandy and Hauts-de-France remain spared. Until now, it was usual to count indigenous cases of dengue in the south, in PACA and Occitanie. But for the first time, a few weeks ago a case of indigenous dengue fever was recorded in Île-de-France, in Limeil-Brévannes.

Never in all of Europe has a case been recorded so far in the North. This is therefore confirmation that with global warming, soon all French people in mainland France will theoretically be threatened by dengue fever. And also threatened by other diseases, since the tiger mosquito is also a vector of chikungunya and zika.

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