AUUSanAKUL / stock.adobe.com
Twelve departments are now on “purple” vigilance, the maximum alert level, signaling an increasingly worrying situation.
90% of French territory on alert. This Thursday, May 16, the site “Mosquito vigilance” has unveiled its mapping of the presence of the dreaded tiger mosquito for the year 2024. According to this specialized publication, nearly 90% of the territory is under surveillance ranging from red to purple, thus signaling a major concern.
This assessment is based on five alert levels, ranging from green to purple, the latter representing the most critical level. In addition to this observation, “Mosquito Vigilance” raises concerns about new contaminations linked to the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
Dengue, Zika and chikungunya
Red vigilance now affects 74 metropolitan departments, plus 5 overseas departments, covering almost 80% of French territory. Three new departments, namely Seine-Maritime, Oise and Moselle, joined the list this year. In addition, seven new departments are now classified in purple vigilance, a category reserved for regions where indigenous cases of diseases such as dengue, Zika or chikungunya have been recorded in 2023.
“MOSQUITO VIGILANCE”
At the same time, twelve departments are placed under orange vigilance, indicating the sporadic or intercepted presence of the tiger mosquito. Nine departments were added to this category this year, notably Nord, Creuse and Manche. According to the site’s forecasts, departments on orange alert tend to move to red alert within a period of generally less than five years. The Paris 2024 Olympic Games also raise concerns for “Mosquito Vigilance”, which fears an increase in the risk of introducing imported cases of diseases.
In 2023, nine epidemic outbreaks have been identified in France, a figure equivalent to that of the previous year. These outbreaks are mainly located in the south of the country, particularly in the Pyrénées-Orientales and the Alpes-Maritimes, where epidemics have occurred two years in a row.
Regarding the identification of the tiger mosquito, the site specifies that it is small, smaller than a 1 cent coin, and is distinguished by its slow flight as well as its black coloring striped with white. “Mosquito Vigilance” encourages people to report their presence and take measures to limit their proliferation, in particular by eliminating stagnant water in gardens and outdoor spaces.