Three weeks after warning of the “significant increase” in the number of imported dengue cases in France, the health authorities published this Wednesday, May 15, a first bulletin within the framework of reinforced surveillance of the viral infection transmitted by mosquitoes to humans.
Since May 1, 98 imported cases of dengue have been identified in mainland France, announced Health Public France (SpF). In detail, 35 were identified in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, 19 in Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur, 11 in Nouvelle-Aquitaine, 10 in Bourgogne-Franche-Comté and even seven in Île-de-France.
Regarding the origin of these cases, 46 returned from Martinique, 28 from Guadeloupe, six from Mauritius and four from Brazil.
2,000 more cases than the average
SpF also indicated that from January 1 to April 30, 2,166 cases of dengue were imported, “of which 82% were contracted in Martinique or Guadeloupe and 5% in Guyana, departments where there is a major epidemic.” “In the last five years, the average number of imported dengue cases reported through mandatory declaration was 128 between January 1 and April 30,” the health agency added.
Although the tiger mosquito is present in the vast majority of metropolitan departments, authorities fear “native chains of transmission”, which have not yet been detected this year.
The Director General of Health had also called at the end of April to “be vigilant and take appropriate actions to limit the proliferation of the tiger mosquito”, for example by eliminating stagnant water and avoiding bites.
Source: BFM TV
