The tiger mosquito is back in the area: here’s how to protect yourself and avoid being invaded

I’ve seen him for years, he lands on his arm, in his striped suit, and try to do it discreetly, and once you’re done kicking him out, he quickly disintegrates before he ends up shattered by his clever hand. It’s the tiger mosquito, the insect that “rots” our appetizers and our quiet nights.

This year, ARS launches its plan to fight Aedes Albopictus now and offers very simple tips to avoid being invaded and above all, to avoid getting sick because these pesky little monsters are the cause of cases of Dengue, Zika or Chikungunya. The danger is real, as indicated by the regional health agency.

“The risk of these diseases emerging is real in the region, as evidenced by the various episodes of Indigenous cases recorded since 2010: eleven episodes of dengue fever (31 cases), two episodes of chikungunya (19 cases) and one episode of Zika. (3 cases) Together with the Occitanie, ours is one of the two urban areas most exposed to vector-borne diseases transmitted by mosquitoes”We say next to ARs.

62% of PACA municipalities affected by the outbreak

In Baka, more than 62% of the municipalities are colonized by Aedes albopictus and 97% of the population live in contact with it. Thus in Alps-Maritimes and Var, mosquitoes begin to be present and active from mid-April to the end of November. As temperatures rise, the prevalence of mosquito populations found in certain areas in the heart of summer has remained high since 2020, according to the ARS.

Protect yourself from bites and diseases

To avoid the appearance of red marks on the body and to protect children, it is advised to: Wear protective and loose-fitting clothing. You can also use a skin repellent, recommended by your pharmacist, on exposed areas of skin when you are exposed to mosquitoes. Air conditioners or fans keep mosquitoes from moving.

If necessary, you can use mosquito nets on the openings (doors, windows). There are also mosquito nets for newborns. You can also use electrical diffusers indoors and only use insecticide coils outside.