Early this Friday morning, an operation to combat chikungunya will be carried out in Toulon

Chikungunya cases have been increasing in mainland France since the beginning of May. According to our information, four cases have been identified in the Var region, including one in Toulon's Saint-Roch district.

The Regional Health Agency has therefore mandated the public operator of the Interdepartmental Agreement for the Control of Mosquitoes on the Mediterranean Coast (EID-Med) to conduct a so-called "vector control" operation this Friday to prevent the virus from spreading. In a triangular contamination cycle, virus, human, and transmission vector, the objective is to combat the latter, in this case adult female tiger mosquitoes.

"We will spread a product over an area of 150 meters around the sick person's home in order to eliminate all adult mosquitoes likely to transmit the virus," explains Lionel Chanaud, from the preventive tiger mosquito control unit of EID-Med. Indeed, a person who returns from a trip carrying the virus in their blood can "contaminate "healthy" mosquitoes in mainland France for ten days, which will in turn contaminate humans," says the specialist.

A commonly used product

The product spread by EID-Med in the neighborhood streets and in private gardens is used in the composition of a majority of mosquito repellents sold in supermarkets. It is also frequently used in agriculture or on dogs infested with fleas. It is deltamethrin, an insecticide pesticide from the pyrethroid family. Providing a shock action, it will be released in low concentration so as not to permanently deposit on the treated environment. Lionel Chanaud is keen to reassure: " It is a component found, for example, in mosquito repellent plugs or burning coils ."

Call for everyone's vigilance

" It is important that individuals allow us access to their gardens so as not to create a mosquito sanctuary that could carry the virus into a garden, " EID-Med reminds. Everyone is encouraged to take simple steps to limit the risk of spreading chikungunya, as well as other viruses such as dengue fever and Zika.

Therefore, for people returning from a trip to an area affected by these viruses, it is important to be particularly vigilant during the first ten days to avoid being bitten. Applying mosquito repellent and wearing long clothing can help prevent mosquito bites for everyone. In addition, care should be taken not to leave any stagnant water in gardens to combat the development of tiger mosquito larvae.