One person was infected with dengue fever in Alfortville. She was returning from a stay in Africa. In the municipality, vigilance is required to reduce the risk of spread.
- In 50 to 90% of cases, dengue is asymptomatic
- According to the ARS, five cases of dengue fever have already been identified in Val-de-Marne in 2021.
- In 2019, the tiger mosquito was present and active in 51 French departments.
Alfortville, in the Val-de-Marne, is on high alert. A case of dengue has been detected in the city. This disease, transmitted by the tiger mosquito, usually causes fever and joint pain. In 1% of cases, it takes a hemorrhagic form: multiple hemorrhages occur in the gastrointestinal area, in the skin or in the brain. For local authorities, the challenge is to prevent the spread of the disease.
How was this person infected?
Eric Véchard, director of the Val-de-Marne delegation of the ARS, gave more details to 94.citizensa daily newspaper in Val-de-Marne and Greater Paris: “cThis person was bitten by a mosquito during a stay in Africa. Back in France, she went to her doctor to complain of flu-like symptoms. When the practitioner was diagnosed with dengue, he immediately made a statement.“The person affected did not suffer from a severe form of the disease.
Why this worrying case?
This case involves a risk: if a tiger mosquito bites the infected person, it can then bite healthy people, and dengue fever will spread. As a precaution, the ARS and the municipality of Alfortville carried out a mosquito control operation. “This is a usual procedure, carried out by the Regional Health Agency (ARS)indicates the municipality on its page Facebook. The product used is the same as that present in electrical outlet mosquito repellents, but in a lower concentration“On Tuesday, September 21, between 3 and 6 a.m., officers dispersed the product in the area near the infected person’s home.”The goal is to break the potential chain of transmission.insists Eric Vréchard to 94.citizens.
Which areas are affected by dengue fever?
The World Health Organization estimates the number of cases per year at 50 million, including 500,000 cases of dengue hemorrhagic fever, which are fatal in more than 2.5% of cases. Most of these cases are concentrated in tropical and subtropical areas, but two autochthonous dengue cases have been identified in Europe from 2010. According to the‘Pastor Institute, in France, several people have been infected in this way for ten years. The first two cases were observed in Nice in September 2010.
How to protect yourself from the tiger mosquito?
The most effective way to avoid bites is to protect yourself: either by applying mosquito repellent or by wearing covering clothing. Certain plants can also scare them away, such as geranium or lavender. It is also important to avoid the multiplication of mosquitoes upstream. For this, care must be taken not to leave any stagnant water in gardens, balconies and other window sills. These are the places preferred by these insects to lay their eggs.
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