Tiger Mosquito Alerts in Saint-Tropez
Summer brings sunshine, sun hats, melted ice cream & mosquitoes!
The organisation Vigilance Moustiques has issued a 'red' alert to 20 departments throughout France, illustrating a significant increase in the presence of Asian Tiger Mosquitoes.
Rainstorms followed by warm weather are a perfect cocktail for an explosion of mosquitoes and specifically tiger mosquitoes, which carry diseases such as dengue fever and chikungunya. Mosquitoes need stagnant water for the growth of their eggs and the regional health authorities ARS remind householders they have a legal duty to clear stagnant water. To eliminate breeding sites in and around its habitat (such as below plant pots, waste, gutters, etc.), this is the the most effective way to reduce mosquito population density.
Originally from Asia, the creature arrived in the south of France in 2012. The main populations can be found in the PACA region in the south east of France and also the Rhone Valley and parts of the Atlantic Ocean.
Current incidences of dengue fever and chikungunya, although on the increase in mainland France, are still thought to be linked with recent travel to high-risk countries. Nearly half of the incidents have been reported in the PACA region, with others in the Languedoc-Roussillon, Rhône-Alpes and Aquitaine.
Official advice to avoid being bitten is as follows; wear long, loose-fitting clothing, use of repellents, mosquito nets on beds and of course remove stagnant water to reduce breeding grounds. None of this is 100% effective but with the current heatwave sweeping across France and the rest of Europe, extra care should be taken.
