Two new cases of indigenous dengue fever detected in Occitanie, for a total of 6 cases in mainland France this year

With the Paris Olympic Games, and while the tiger mosquito is present in the vast majority of French departments, the authorities and epidemiologists predict an even stronger circulation of the virus during the summer.

After the Gard a little earlier in the day, two other indigenous cases of dengue fever, that is to say probably transmitted on site by a mosquito, were made official by the Regional Health Agency (ARS) Occitanie, France Bleu Roussillon learned on Thursday August 8. These are two cases from the same family living in the Pyrénées-Orientales, but the contamination could have occurred in different places. The state of health of the people infected by the virus does not inspire concern, specifies the ARS Occitanie. In total, Public Health France has recorded six indigenous cases of dengue fever in France since the beginning of the year.

These two new cases come from the same family. But during the potential period of contamination, the family stayed both in Baho (Pyrénées-Orientales), where she lives, and also in Florac (Lozère). Preventive actions to limit the contamination of the virus (mosquito control) “are deployed in Baho and Florac”announces ARS Occitanie in a press release.

Earlier this Thursday, the Gard prefecture also announced an indigenous case of dengue fever in Aimargues. “The sick person is hospitalized and taken care of”added the prefecture. This person has not recently traveled to an area of ​​the world where dengue fever is active, which suggests that the virus was transmitted by a mosquito. To prevent its spread, “preventive actions are being deployed in Aimargues” (Gard).

Before these three new official cases, the first indigenous case of the year had been officialized on Monday July 8 in Hérault (first signs of illness on June 17). Then, on Friday August 2, two other cases were recorded in the Alpes-Maritimes (first signs of illness on July 26). In total, according to data from Public Health France, there will therefore be six indigenous cases of dengue fever in mainland France in 2024.

Concerning imported cases of dengue fever, a disease brought back from a trip abroad or overseas, Public Health France recorded 979 from May 1 to Tuesday August 6, 2024, “including 861 in the departments where the establishment of Aedes albopictus (tiger mosquito) has been documented”.

With the Paris Olympics, and while the tiger mosquito is present in the vast majority of French departments, the authorities and epidemiologists predict an even greater circulation of the virus during the summer, due to the influx of many travelers.

As a reminder, dengue fever is a viral disease transmitted by mosquitoes to humans, most often benign, which can develop, in about 1% of cases, into a more serious form causing bleeding in particular. Deaths are very rare.