The Nouvelle-Aquitaine Regional Health Agency continues to monitor and fight against the progression of the tiger mosquito in the region. In Limousin, it has been established for several years in Haute-Vienne and Corrèze.
The Regional Health Agency has launched the 2024 season for monitoring and combating the tiger mosquito in New Aquitaine, the progression of which continues in France, and particularly in Limousin. The monitoring season began on May 1 and will continue until November 30.
The animal is now present in 78 departments, including 920 municipalities in New Aquitaine (i.e. 21% of the total municipalities and 64% of the neo-Aquitaine population). That is an increase of 195 communes colonized in one year.
Located in Corrèze and Haute-Vienne
In Limousinthe tiger mosquito has decided to establish itself in Haute-Vienne and Corrèze. Only the Creusois are spared from its presence.
Since 2017, the Corrèze is classified as a colonized department, due to a confirmed establishment in Liourdres and Beaulieu-sur-Dordogne in 2016, then in Altillac, Astaillac and Brive-la-Gaillarde in 2017. Today, 26 communes of Corrèze are known as being colonized by the tiger mosquito (versus 17 municipalities at the end of 2022), i.e. 9% of the 279 municipalities in Corrèze (6% at the end of 2022). 47% of the Corrèze population is confronted with the presence of this mosquito (40% at the end of 2022).
Haute-Vienne was classified as a colonized department in 2020, due to a confirmed establishment in the commune of Saint-Yrieix-la-Perche in August 2020. In September 2022, the commune of Palais-sur-Vienne was declared as colonized and in 2023, 5 municipalities have been added to the list: Aixe-sur-Vienne, Limoges, Panazol, Oradour-sur-Glane and Saint-Junien.
Beware of the risk of transmission
In addition to the undeniable nuisance it causes, it is imperative to combat the presence of the tiger mosquito because of the epidemic risk it represents. Indeed, it is a potential “vector” of dengue, chikungunya and zika viruses. If the tiger mosquito bites a sick person, it can transmit the virus by biting other people.
The ARS recalls that the current epidemiological context (dengue epidemics, particularly in the Antilles and South America) is the cause of a very large number of imported cases since the start of the year. All of this reminds us that the movement of people due to the organization of the Paris Olympic Games makes the occurrence of indigenous cases in New Aquitaine all the more likely. The 2024 action plan to combat vector-borne diseases has therefore also been launched in New Aquitaine.
186 cases of dengue and 4 cases of chikungunya
In 2023, 186 cases of dengue and 4 cases of chikungunya were reported and investigated in Nouvelle-Aquitaine (2019 cases of dengue, 30 cases of chikungunya and 9 cases of zika throughout France). Thanks to the measures implemented, no indigenous cases of disease transmitted by the tiger mosquito have been recorded in New Aquitaine.
Entomological monitoring (of mosquito populations) is also carried out in the region by five operators commissioned by the ARS Nouvelle-Aquitaine: Altopictus, Qualyse, the TERANA Creuse laboratory, the Dordogne departmental laboratory and the Charente-Maritime department. .
Under the leadership of the ARS, these operators also carry out awareness-raising and training activities for local authority agents so that they relay information to the population and thus make it possible to identify and eliminate larval breeding sites in public space.
How to fight the tiger mosquito?
By removing or emptying all containers and objects that can retain water of rain to prevent the tiger mosquito from laying eggs and proliferating. The female lays eggs in very small quantities of water, mainly in our gardens: the equivalent of a spilled cork is enough for her. She can lay up to 200 eggs every 12 days.
The tiger mosquito continues to gain ground in Haute-Vienne
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