The French health authorities have updated their map showing distribution of the tiger mosquito in France. On January 1, 2023, 71 départements were reported on "red alert" – four more than on January 1, 2022. The Aedes albopictus mosquito, originally from Asia, has been present in France since 2004. It is a vector for viruses that spread diseases such as dengue, chikungunya and Zika.
The tiger mosquito can now be found in 71 French départements. The General Directorate of Health, which monitors its presence throughout France annually, reviewed the situation for 2022. The tiger mosquito is constantly and rapidly gaining ground. It has colonized four new départements: Allier, Ille-et-Vilaine, Loir-et-Cher and Haute-Loire. These four join the 67 others on red alert since 2021, i.e. those départements where mosquitoes are living and breeding.
The French départements where the tiger mosquito is present and active are classified as level 1 in the national plan to prevent the spread of chikungunya, dengue and Zika.
The tiger mosquito, with its characteristic black and white striped legs, mainly lives in urban areas. It breeds in artificial habitats (tires, buckets, gutters, flowerpot saucers, etc.) and has a taste for human blood. It is practically impossible to get rid of once it has arrived in a town or region.
See "What is the "tiger mosquito" (Aedes albopictus)?"
Progression from 2004 to 2022
Source: General Directorate of Health/French Ministry of Health
