It was like the last Gallic village. While the tiger mosquito has colonized much of France in recent years, Normandy was until now the last region to resist the invaders. But the dykes have just given way and the insect is now ubiquitous in metropolitan France. In a press release published on Tuesday, the regional health agency confirmed the establishment of the tiger mosquito for the first time in the region. More specifically in the Seine-Maritime, where the presence of the insect was confirmed “following a field survey carried out in September 2023”, clarify the health authorities.
A real disaster wherever it settles, the tiger mosquito is known to carry numerous viruses such as dengue, Zika or chikungunya. But the regional health agency clarifies that “to date, no local transmission of disease associated with this mosquito has been observed in Normandy.” As this South-East Asian species prepares to return with the arrival of sunny days, the ARS of Normandy therefore asks the population to be extremely vigilant to “avoid its multiplication”.
Eliminate standing water spots
This includes “simple actions” such as removing all places and objects that may contain standing water. “If the container cannot be emptied, access to water should be eliminated, for example, by installing mosquito nets on rainwater tanks, sand in flower bowls, drains as well as cleaning evacuation manholes,” health officials advise.
If traveling abroad to an area where cases of dengue, Zika, or chikungunya have been reported, it is also recommended to protect yourself from bites before and after travel. “In fact, if you are infected and an Aedes mosquito bites you, it can become a carrier of the virus and infect another person around you by biting them,” the ARS warns.
