A Dutch woman has contracted dengue (dengue fever) in the south of France. The RIVM confirms this after reporting in French and Dutch media. She was stabbed in La Croix-Valmer, not far from Saint-Tropez.
The woman became ill in early August and was diagnosed with dengue in the Netherlands. It is not known what her health situation is now. The RIVM emphasizes that people who contract it are usually sick again after a week, if they already become ill. A small number of infections are more serious and can be life-threatening.
A spokesman for the RIVM said this morning that as far as is known, it is the first Dutch person to contract dengue fever in this area. “But as far as we are concerned, it is not very special. We know that the tiger mosquito occurs in Southern Europe and sometimes spreads the virus. This woman has just had bad luck, but we are not going to suddenly warn to watch out in Southern Europe for the tiger mosquito. It’s just rare that you get stung by it and contract the virus, the chance is very small. “
More active in the morning and afternoon
Every year, 100 to 150 Dutch people contract the infectious disease, the majority in (sub) tropical areas such as Southeast Asia, Africa, and South and Central America. As a prevention against the tiger mosquito, it is recommended to wear covering clothing, especially in the morning and afternoon, when the insect is most active.
The tiger mosquito also ended up in Southern Europe because eggs, for example, come to Europe via old car tires. The tiger mosquito has settled in the south of Europe, but not yet in the Netherlands.
That does not mean that the tiger mosquito cannot be found here at all. Earlier this year, there were reports from Westland, Lansingerland, Lelystad, Assen and Valkenburg, but no infected mosquito was found. The Stop Invasive Exoten platform has long believed that the government should warn more actively that the tiger mosquito occurs in Southern Europe, but RIVM does not see this need.
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