“The tiger mosquito returns, this time accompanied”
As every year, due to the rise in temperatures in May, the season of annoying mosquitoes and their irritating bites begins, but as previous months had been saying, special care must be taken with a specific type of mosquito, which has arrived to Spain to stay, it is the Aedes albopictus better known as the “Tiger Mosquito”.
The tiger mosquito has become one of the greatest threats to health in our country, after doubling its presence in the last five years. In 2019, about 70 million people were exposed to the tiger mosquito, between the resident population and tourists, accounting only for the data of Mosquito Alert.
Jorge Galván, deputy director of the Spanish Association of Environmental Health Companies (Anecpla), has warned of the vulnerable situation in which Spain is, especially in the area of the Mediterranean coast, where the temperature has increased up to 20% more than at the world average.
Expansion map of the tiger mosquito in Spain
It is capable of transmitting up to 22 diseases including the most dangerous such as zika, dengue or chikungunya, but …
Can the tiger mosquito transmit the coronavirus?
The answer is no, according to experts from the WHO (World Health Organization) have stated from a research project that among the 22 different viruses that this mosquito can eventually transmit, they do not have the possibility of transmitting the coronavirus COVID- 19.
But the tiger mosquito is not alone, according to CREAF scientists warn that this year we must live with another mosquito of the Aedes genus. It is the Aedes japonicus, a mosquito of Asian origin that is considered one of the carriers of the West Nile virus. This insect was detected in 2018 in Asturias for the first time and in 2019 its presence and expansion to Cantabria was confirmed.
People who live near stagnant water areas should exercise extreme caution, since it is the place where they deposit their eggs, so it is highly recommended to remove the stagnant water that we have in our home or its surroundings, as well as to remove weeds or tall grasses, since they are the humid places where these insects reproduce.
The installation of mosquito nets on windows and doors, as well as the use of insecticides are one of the most effective prevention and protection methods currently, although there are also specific treatments to scare away these annoying insects thanks to the formulas applied to produce a repellent odor.
If you want to know more information and details about these mosquito specimens click here.