Since May, 489 suspected cases of dengue or chikungunya have been reported to InVS in mainland France. Among them, 174 imported cases of chikungunya are confirmed. That’s 26 more in a week.
Last week, the Institute for Public Health Surveillance (InVS) indicated that the tiger mosquito was under close surveillance in metropolitan France. Normal, because the numbers of metropolitan victims of this insect are climbing day by day. Thus, the latest InVS report published on Monday reveals that between 1er May 2014 and July 18, 489 suspected cases of dengue or chikungunya were reported. And among them, 54 imported cases of dengue and 174 imported cases of chikungunya have been confirmed. For this second tropical disease, the results are therefore +26 cases in just one week. In addition, three cases of people co-infected with the two viruses are also identified.
The PACA region remains the most affected
In more detail, it is still the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region which remains the most affected in metropolitan France by these two tropical infectious diseases (74 cases). Closely followed by the Rhône-Alpes region (53) and Languedoc-Roussillon (43). Finally, the Aedes albopictus mosquito, vector of chikungunya and dengue viruses, continues to threaten the overseas departments (DOM) dangerously.
39 deaths recorded in the West Indies since December 2013
The most alarming case is undoubtedly that of Guyana where a 47% increase in confirmed or probable biological cases was observed during the first week of July compared to the previous week. And the other DOMs are not much better off.
In the French West Indies, the Institut de Veille Sanitaire has recorded 23 deaths caused by chikungunya in hospital, including 3 in Saint-Martin, 13 in Martinique and 7 in Guadeloupe, since December 2013. In this report, s’ add 16 deaths recorded in town.
Finally, in these same islands, there are thousands of “clinically suggestive” cases (3,000 in Saint-Martin, 48,000 in Martinique, and 63,000 in Guadeloupe). “We are at a key moment in this epidemic: we have the means to limit it. The best solution is to protect yourself and avoid the spread, ”said Minister of Health Marisol Touraine, visiting the West Indies last Thursday, on Radio Caraibes.
The chikungunya virus, which has been circulating since December 2013 throughout the Caribbean, has already affected 115,000 people in the West Indies.
.
