French health authorities are sounding the alarm as dengue, a virus spread by tiger mosquitoes, continues to progress across the country. A record number of cases have been transmitted locally this year, new figures show, while experts warn France is at high risk of an epidemic in the next five years.
Since the beginning of May, the onset of tiger mosquito activity, 80 people have contracted the tropical disease without travelling to endemic regions, according to a study released by public health institute Santé Publique France this week.
This marks a new record, surpassing the 65 locally transmitted cases reported in 2022 and 45 in 2023.
It follows a recent report from the National Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health Safety (Anses) that suggests the risk of an epidemic of dengue, chikungunya or Zika – all diseases transmitted by tiger mosquitoes – is high.
On a scale of 0 to 9, the agency rated the likelihood of such an outbreak occurring in mainland France within the next five years at 6 to 7.
Localised outbreaks
Currently, dengue cases are localised mainly in the south-eastern Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region, which has reported 58 infections this year alone.
The main factors contributing to potential outbreaks are warm temperatures – between 25 and 30 degrees Celsius – and the importation of viruses from areas experiencing epidemics.
Since the beginning of the year, Santé Publique France has recorded 3,938 imported dengue cases, alongside 22 cases of chikungunya and five of Zika – 1.5 times the number reported in 2023.
A significant majority of these cases – 68 percent – involved travellers returning from the French Caribbean territories of Guadeloupe and Martinique, in the grip of extensive outbreaks for over a year.
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Global concern
The tiger mosquito first arrived in mainland France in 2004, establishing a foothold in the southern town of Menton before spreading across the entire country.
Once an area is colonised by mosquitoes, eradication becomes a daunting challenge.
Residents are urged to eliminate standing water and other mosquito breeding sites in their surroundings.
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The World Health Organisation (WHO) warns that the spread of dengue and other mosquito-borne diseases in recent years is "an alarming trend that demands a coordinated response across sectors and across borders".
The UN health agency said the number of dengue cases reported globally has approximately doubled each year since 2021, with over 12.3 million cases, including more than 7,900 deaths, reported in the first eight months of 2024 alone.
An estimated four billion people worldwide are currently at risk of contracting dengue, chikungunya or Zika, according to the WHO, with that number estimated to swell to five billion by 2050.
Dengue symptoms include high fever, often accompanied by headaches, nausea and vomiting, lasting two to three weeks.
(with newswires)
