The sanitary measures taken to fight against the Covid-19 pandemic should not hamper mosquito control actions Overseas, while the dengue epidemic started in several overseas territories, recommends the health agency Anses.
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Posted on May 20, 2020, at 8:10 p.m., updated on May 20, 2020 at 8:17 p.m.
“Stopping control operations“against mosquitoes”could have serious health consequences“, estimates the National agency of health security in a notice published Wednesday.
Gold, “the containment instituted on March 17 in all French territories to combat the spread of Covid-19 has slowed or even halted implementation“anti-mosquito campaigns deployed each year overseas to fight against diseases transmitted by these insects, and in particular dengue, observes ANSES.
Double-edged containment
At the same time, the increase in wild deposits, due to operations to clean up confined outbreaks, the closure of recycling centers during the first weeks of confinement and disruption of waste collection, has also contributed to an increase in breeding places for mosquitoes.
ANSES therefore recommends “resumption of vector control actions usually planned“(elimination of stagnant water favoring the laying of mosquitoes, use of insecticides or repellents, awareness campaigns in the media and door to door …),”subject to the establishment of conditions minimizing the risk of transmission“Covid-19 disease.
Continue actions with caution
Only “actions requiring gatherings of people“must be avoided. ANSES also stresses”the need to continue to provide sustained information on the epidemic risks associated with mosquitoes (dengue, zika, malaria …) as general attention focuses on the Covid-19 pandemic“. Since the beginning of the year, there have been more than 8,500 confirmed indigenous cases of dengue fever in Reunion, including 309 hospitalizations, and nine deaths including six directly linked to this disease, according to the Regional Health Agency of Isle.
In Mayotte, on May 6, there were 3,684 cases confirmed by biological test, 340 hospitalizations and 16 deaths (of which 4, for the moment, were considered to be directly linked to dengue). This island in the Indian Ocean, where deconfinement was postponed due to the still active circulation of the coronavirus, at the same time on Tuesday had 1,419 reported cases of Covid-19 (for around 2,500 cases in all Overseas), 52 hospitalizations (including 11 in intensive care) and 19 deaths.
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