Several indigenous cases of dengue fever were identified in Fayence last July, according to information from the Regional Health Agency. It is precisely about five autochthonous cases of the disease detected to date in the Var municipality. These people presented their symptoms between mid-July and the end of July. All are located in the same sector of the town “confirming the circulation of the virus in this area”, according to the ARS.
As a reminder, dengue is transmitted from person to person through the bite of an infected tiger mosquito by the virus. We speak of an indigenous case when a person has contracted the disease on national territory and has not traveled to a contaminated area in the 15 days preceding the onset of symptoms.
Another indigenous case of dengue was identified in the Paca region in Saint-Jeannet (Alpes Maritimes), in a person who presented symptoms in early August. No link has been established with the cases detected in the Var.
No case identified in Paca showed signs of seriousness, according to the ARS.
Mosquito control operations in progress
To limit the spread of the disease, operations of mosquito control are carried out in the areas concerned by the Interdepartmental Agreement for Mosquito Control on the Mediterranean Coast (EID-Med) in the residential areas of the detected cases (public roads, private gardens), as well as in places frequented by the cases identified during their infectious periods. These interventions make it possible to eliminate potentially infected adult mosquitoes and eliminate breeding sites to limit the proliferation of mosquitoes in these sectors.
These mosquito control actions are supplemented by door-to-door interventions from the ARS and Public Health France to inform the population of these districts, remind them of preventive measures and identify any other suspected cases of dengue fever.
To limit the development of mosquitoes around your home, you should:
- store anything that can hold water (buckets, watering cans) away from the rain
- hermetically tarpaulin or cover with a mosquito net the water reserves (barrel, canister, untreated swimming pool)
- ensure that the gutters run smoothly
- pick up green waste that can become resting places for adult mosquitoes
Symptoms of dengue fever: high fever, accompanied for example by muscle pain
Dengue is asymptomatic in 50 to 90% of cases. The “classic” form is benign and is manifested by high fever that comes on suddenly. In cases of dengue fever, it is associated with at least one other clinical sign such as headaches, muscle or joint or lumbar pain and in the absence of cough, runny nose, sore throat, breathing difficulties or infected wounds. The evolution is most often favorable after a few days. On the other hand, the severe form can occur in less than 5% of cases and can be fatal, according to Public Health France.