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Date Published: 14/03/2022

ARCHIVED - Holiday blow for Brits as Canary Island issued with yellow fever alert

ARCHIVED ARTICLE

Larvae of the dangerous mosquito have been discovered on the Spanish island of La Palma

<span style='color:#780948'>ARCHIVED</span> - Holiday blow for Brits as Canary Island issued with yellow fever alert

British tourists flocking to Spain this year have been dealt another huge blow as the Canary Islands have been placed on high alert against the dangerous yellow fever after two of the carrying mosquito larvae were discovered on La Palma.

The Minister of Health of the Government of the Canary Islands, Blas Trujillo, said that intensive measures would be taken until the mosquitoes were eradicated and reassured both locals and tourists alike that the islands have extensive experience dealing with these pests through a comprehensive monitoring system that was installed after the species was discovered in Fuerteventura in 2017.

Nevertheless, the authorities on La Palma have urged residents to remain vigilant and experts have recommended that households get rid of standing water in their houses and on the streets, since this particular mosquito is known to carry a number of diseases, including dengue fever, chikungunya and Zika.

A government spokesperson explained: "Mosquitoes that bite humans must breed in close proximity to them. For this reason, the most effective measure against them is to monitor or eliminate their breeding sites."

Thus, mosquito monitoring sites have been expanded at the port and airport, as well as other high-risk areas, while the alert status has been conveyed to all of the health centres and pharmacies on the island.

If people spot the mosquitos, or have a bite they feel is suspicious, they should submit a photograph, along with details of their exact location, to the General Directorate of Public Health.

Officially known as Aedes Aegypti, this mosquito is smaller than the common insect and is quite distinctive with black and white stripes. They are common in urban areas and, unlike their relatives, are more likely to bite during the day.

Image: Wikimedia Commons

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