The tiger mosquito is a source of concern in Luxembourg, as in the rest of Europe. As a reminder, this can be a vector of various infectious diseases such as Dengue, Chikungunya and Zika but also malaria and yellow fever.
Fortunately, these diseases are not yet circulating in Luxembourg. However, zero risk does not exist and if infected people come home sick and are bitten by a tiger mosquito, it could nevertheless transmit the virus. Several eggs have already been discovered in Luxembourg.
The tiger mosquito has in fact been detected several times in 2022 and 2023 at points of entry into the territory of the Grand Duchy, such as motorway parking lots or even international bus lines. In 2022, a few eggs and an adult were found in the municipality of Roeser and more recently, in July 2023, in the territory of the municipality of Mamer.
An increase in cases also in France
In a parliamentary response to a question from MP François Bausch (déi Greng), Minister of Health Martine Deprez (CSV) can only confirm the increase in tropical diseases imported via the tiger mosquito. Indeed, ten cases of dengue fever were reported in 2023 while only two cases were recorded in 2022. “The people concerned, with an average age of 35.4 years, had recently made trips to Martinique, Mexico , Ivory Coast, India, Vietnam or French Polynesia,” specifies the minister.
She adds that no cases have been declared for Zika and Chikungunya. “Data for the year 2024 are not yet available.” This increase is not an isolated fact. In France, between January 1 and April 19, 2024, 1,679 cases of imported dengue fever were reported compared to 131 over the same period in 2023. The majority of cases came from the French Antilles, where an epidemic has been ongoing since mid-2023.
The government has taken this seriously for several years and regularly monitors the situation. Thus, to prevent and avoid any spread, the government launched, during the summer of 2022, the “MosquitoAlert” application, which allows you to send photos to help establish the presence of non-native mosquito species. and invasive in Europe. The National Museum of Natural History collaborates with the project for the identification of mosquitoes.
However, like the advice for protecting yourself from tiger mosquitoes available on the Ministry of Health website, MP Bausch believes that these initiatives are unknown to the general public.
In her response, the minister replies that numerous awareness-raising operations on this topic have been carried out. “It is planned to launch communication on the MosquitoAlert application and also on mosquitoes in general. This communication, particularly via social networks, will be launched before the summer holidays which begin on July 16,” she announced.
