Anses is sounding the alarm. The tiger mosquito is now firmly established in 78 departments of metropolitan France.
The French National Food Safety Agency (ANSES) issued a warning this Friday, September 13, of the “fairly high” risk of epidemics linked to tiger mosquito in the next five years as the insect has spread across a large part of metropolitan France. Permanently established in no fewer than 78 metropolitan departments as of January 1, 2024, according to sante.gouv.frthe Aedes albopictus mosquito, better known as the “tiger mosquito”, is a vector of many viruses, including chikungunya, dengue and zika.
“An epidemic of arbovirosis, all viruses combined, has a probability of between 6 and 7, on a scale of 0 to 9, of occurring in the next five years” in France, say the experts, including The Figaro echoes, while cases of dengue and chikungunya have increased significantly in recent years in mainland France.
A healthcare system not up to par?
If ANSES is concerned about the occurrence of these epidemics, it is also the response that our already saturated health system could provide that they fear. “The health system would be under strain in the event of a major epidemic” or if several epidemics occurred simultaneously. And the experts add: “The risk may also exist if the healthcare offer, in particular general practitioners and emergency services, is already saturated, as can be the case during the mosquito’s activity period.” It should also be noted that an epidemic could also have a negative effect on tourism, and therefore the economy, with travelers preferring to avoid the area. ANSES therefore recommends providing more training to caregivers, but also drawing inspiration from what has been put in place overseas where the tiger mosquito has already been causing problems for a long time.