New anti-mosquito operation in Dordogne: What residents must do
Close to 100 cases of chikungunya have been recorded in department
The operation will be carried out overnight. Photo for illustrative purposes only
Supermelon/Shutterstock
A new anti-mosquito operation is being conducted in Dordogne as chikungunya cases in the department continue to grow.
Insecticide will be sprayed across two streets tonight (October 15 - 16) in the ‘La Force’ commune, a village of around 2,600 inhabitants outside Bergerac.
It is hoped the operation will destroy local tiger mosquito populations, responsible for spreading chikungunya and other tropical viruses such as dengue fever and Zika.
It comes after a similar operation in Les Eyzies in the east of the department was held last week, and is the first time such an operation will be carried out in La Force.
Cases of chikungunya have exploded in France this year, particularly native cases in people who did not leave the country in the weeks leading up to their infection.
Well over 500 native cases of the virus have been recorded since May this year, with more than a thousand further imported cases.
The most recent report from the Agence Régionale de Santé (ARS) on October 13 stated that the outbreak of chikungunya in Bergerac and the surrounding communes reached 96 cases.
What should residents do?
The two streets to be sprayed with insecticides are Traverse du Vieux Moulin and Chemin de la Lande Haute.
A person living in this area contracted the chikungunya virus, said the town’s mayor.
Due to the short distance mosquitoes can travel, this means the responsible mosquito is likely to be within this perimeter.
The ARS is asking people in residents in the commune to adhere to the following rules:
Bring all washing inside overnight
Ensure pets sleep indoors
Keep windows closed
Do not eat any produce from your garden for the next three days. Wash thoroughly before using produce after this
