The Committee for monitoring and anticipating health risks (Covars) has just submitted a 60-page opinion on arboviruses. Diseases transmitted by mosquitoes such as dengue fever, Zika or chikungunya, which are spreading around the world and are now present on French territory.
Last summer, the metropolis experienced 65 cases of autochthonous dengue fever. And we must expect, in the years to come, an increase in the number of cases of dengue fever, Zika and chikungunyadiseases transmitted by mosquitoes vectors “now widely established on the national territory, warns the Committee for monitoring and anticipating health risks (Covars).
In a 60-page notice published Wednesday on “ the health risks of dengue fever and other arboviruses “, the former scientific council recalls that the French tropical territories are confronted with it on a recurring basis. But in recent years, the metropolis has also recorded a growing number of indigenous cases and outbreaks of these viruses.
In question, mosquitoes Aedes aegypti And Aedes albopictus, commonly called the tiger mosquito. Since 2010, the number of metropolitan departments colonized by the tiger mosquito has multiplied by ten. In mainland France, no serious form of the disease has been observed to date, unlike overseas territories where populations are repeatedly exposed.
” You will have to adapt »
” Rise in cases is inevitable due to increased travel and climate change “, noted Didier Fontenille, entomologist, one of the authors of the report, during a press briefing. “ Soon all of France will be affected by the tiger mosquito. As for Aedes aegyptiit is resistant to insecticides, these are two very bad news “, he added. According to the Covars, these viral diseases “ could become public health problems in mainland France “.
The forthcoming organization of major international sporting events in mainland France, in particular the 2024 Olympics, which are causing significant migration of populations from all over the world, “ increases the risk of outbreaks of dengue fever, Zika and chikungunya “, he adds.
” We were already overwhelmed with 65 cases. If next year there are 300, we won’t be able to cope, we will have to adapt “warned Didier Fontenille. If France has a surveillance, detection and management system for these diseases considered to be “ efficient “, he’s staying ” perfectible “, in particular in mainland France, estimates the Covars. In particular, a “ national coordination to be informed of the situation in other regions.
“ We are not in a disaster scenario but we must take the risk seriously through prevention campaigns or better organization of the actors “, concluded the president of Covars, Brigitte Autran, during the press briefing.
(With AFP)