France (AFP) - Health authorities in the northern region of Normandy have recorded the presence of tiger mosquitoes – an invasive species that is now ubiquitous in mainland France. The biting insects, native to Asia, can carry viruses including dengue, Zika and chikungunya.
The discovery comes from the results of fieldwork conducted in the Seine-Maritime department in September 2023, which shows the northward progression of the mosquito in France.
“Normandy had until now been the last mainland French region in which the mosquito had not settled,” Normandy’s regional health agency said on Tuesday.
The presence of Aedes albopictus was first recorded in France in 2004, and has since spread throughout the country. The mosquitoes were present in 71 of the country's 101 departments as of 1 January 2023, according to the French health ministry.
Originally from tropical rainforests in south-east Asia, tiger mosquitoes have been able to survive in France and northern Europe as temperatures have warmed, with winters no longer cold enough to kill them off.
The Normandy health agency advised taking practical steps to stop the mosquitoes breeding, notably removing anything that could contain stagnant water, where the insects lay eggs, and clearing out gutters and pipes.
While there have been no recorded cases of anyone getting ill from a tiger mosquito bite in Normandy, authorities urge people to see a doctor if they have symptoms such as muscle or joint pain, headaches or a rash after visiting the region.