Tiger mosquito : Paris and all of Île-de-France are under red alert, how to protect yourself?

Published by Caroline de Sortiraparis, Cécile de Sortiraparis · Published on April 17th, 2023 at 04:01 p.m.
The tiger mosquito continues its progression in France. On the 2023 map, updated by Vigilance Moustiques, we discover that four new departments are under red alert. To date, the tiger mosquito has been declared officially established and active in 68 departments in metropolitan France. Paris and the entire Ile-de-France region, namely Seine-et-Marne, Yvelines, Essonne, Hauts-de-Seine, Seine-Saint-Denis, Val-de-Marne and Val-d'Oise, are concerned.

With the arrival of summer, it is once again necessary to be careful with the Aedes albopictus, the famous tiger mosquito. The Vigilance Moustiques website has updated the map of the presence of the tiger mosquito highlighting the presence of these dangerous mosquitoes, department by department. All those of the Île-de-France are strongly affected by this tiny insect, but which can be a vector of several diseases.

Indeed, the news is not good, since the tiger mosquito is progressing on the national territory. In 2023, four new departments are placed in red vigilance, which means that the tiger mosquito is established and active there. In total, 68 departments in France are on red alert, while 7 departments are on orange alert.

The tiger mosquito: a "major health risk" in the years to come

According to a commission of inquiry at the Assembly, tiger mosquitoes will"represent a major health risk throughout the territory" during"the coming decades".

On July 28, 2020, the rapporteur of this commission of inquiry and deputy LREM of Mayotte, Ramlati Ali, had confided:"It is an invasive species, which did not exist in the hexagon before 2004. In 2019, 58 departments out of the 96 metropolitan departments were colonized."

"If for fifty years the metropolitan territory has lived free from diseases transmitted by mosquitoes, this is no longer the case today. We will have to learn to live with them, limiting their impact on the health of the French", she added in this report.

To fight against the tiger mosquito, the commission of inquiry unveiled 46 proposals. The aim was to"rethink a prevention policy", to"review the institutional framework" in order to slow down the proliferation of these tiger mosquitoes and to"perpetuate" the means of research.

Paris and the whole of the Ile-de-France region placed under red alert

Paris and the seven other departments of Ile-de-France are concerned by this red alert, namely Seine-et-Marne, Yvelines,Essonne, Hauts-de-Seine, Seine-Saint-Denis, Val-de-Marne and Val-d'Oise - the only department of the Ile-de-France region that has been spared until now. " It continues to move towards the north of France and its population is growing in the Rhone Valley, around the Ile-de-France and on the Atlantic coast," explained Elsa Quillery, coordinator of scientific expertise at the Anses, in the columns of Le Parisien.

Therefore, theAnses has set up a website(https://signalement-moustique.anses.fr/) to report the tiger mosquito, in order to update the map as soon as possible.

What are the health risks?

According to the Ministry of Health website, the tiger mosquito can cause serious diseases such as dengue, Zika virus or even chikungunya. " When it bites a person infected with the Zika virus, dengue or chikungunya, it can transmit this infection," says theARS Île-de-France, which specifies that " no case of virus transmission by this mosquito has been observed in the Île-de-France region.

How to recognize the tiger mosquito?

If you are afraid of being bitten by a tiger mosquito, first of all make sure you know how to identify it. Vigilance-Moustiques confides that the tiger mosquito is " smaller than a 1 cent coin (it measures only a few millimeters, usually 5 mm), it has a slow flight and is easy to crush in flight ". Its physical aspect is also particular, " since it is black with white stripes on the legs and on the abdomen ". The City of Paris specifies that this insect is more active during the day,"with a peak of aggressiveness at dawn and dusk".

How to protect yourself from the tiger mosquito?

Actions are taken to rid the region of this harmful insect and to fight against the proliferation of mosquito larvae. In order to protect oneself from tiger mosquitoes, the Ministry's website reminds us of the importance of paying attention to " breeding grounds " such as flower pots, watering cans, old tires, blocked gutters... A word of advice: avoid all stagnant water and remember to empty all these small " water reservoirs " or don't forget to renew them at least once a week. For ornamental ponds, consider introducing fish, which will eat the larvae.

For its part, the City of Paris recommends repairing leaks to avoid the formation of puddles and stagnation of water, but also sorting, eliminating, turning over or putting under cover all containers where water can stagnate (various waste, toys, tarpaulins, pots, buckets, garden garbage cans, tires, watering cans, wheelbarrows...), or even avoiding the use of flowerpots with reserves. Also remember to renew the water of flowers or cuttings regularly (once or twice a week), or to replace the water in vases with wet sand, or to cover water reserves with a mosquito net or a simple cloth in order to prevent mosquitoes from gaining access to them (water cans, tanks, basins). Don't forget to regularly and completely empty the tanks and columns of the parasol stands that fill up with rain or watering.

To avoid bites, when you go for a walk, wear loose-fitting clothing that covers the whole body, including the legs and arms, and is light-colored, as many species of mosquitoes are attracted to dark colors. At home, you can opt for the famous mosquito nets (bed nets, cradle nets), preferably impregnated with insecticides, but also narrow-mesh nets on doors, windows and other mosquito entry routes. Make sure to ventilate well to keep the insects away. A fan or air conditioner can help keep mosquitoes away.

You can also use skin repellents, but be careful, because not all repellents are equal. Also, to find out about these products and their conditions of use, don't hesitate to consult the recommendations of the High Council of Public Health published in the weekly epidemiological bulletin of Santé Publique France of June 1, 2021, entitled " Health recommendations for travelers ", accessible here. Otherwise, ask your pharmacist or doctor for advice.

The best way to get rid of the tiger mosquito is to report its presence on the ANSES website so that the authorities can act on a large scale.

Practical information

Official website
www.anses.fr

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