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Date Published: 28/04/2021
ARCHIVED - Regional surveillance program finds no tiger mosquitos in Mazarrón
Over 500 georeferenced sampling points were installed across the Region of Murcia
The regional ministry of Health in Murcia has carried out an Entomological Vigilance Program to measure the prevalence and distribution of the tiger mosquito and, in collaboration with the University of Murcia, carried out two sampling procedures during March and April.
In the first sampling, 284 georeferenced sampling points were installed across different municipalities in the Region, and 293 in the second.
In the municipality of Mazarrón, no positive cases of tiger mosquitos were reported in either of the two sampling procedures, according to a statement by the town hall.
The ministry of Health and local Town Halls want to achieve a reduction in the negative effects of these mosquitos, as well as trying to limit their spread. A bite from a tiger mosquito can be painful as well as itchy, and can even cause an infection that may require a visit to the doctors.
Another danger is that these mosquitos, which usually bite at sunrise and sunset, can carry and transmit viruses to humans, including the Zika virus, the Dengue virus and the Chikungunya virus.
This insect is an invasive species originally from Asia and has now colonized most of the world, including Europe. These mosquitos have been found in Spain since 2004 and are more common in coastal areas, with Cataluña, Valencia, the Balearics and the Region of Murcia reporting the most cases.
They breed in standing water and need very little liquid to lay their larvae, making puddles, buckets, abandoned swimming pools and any other accumulation of water ideal breeding grounds for these insects, unlike normal mosquitos, which need much more open spaces to reproduce.
However, fumigation is not the best option to eradicate this species; instead it is important to eliminate any accumulation of water no matter how small, even a glass of water left in the garden. It is also advisable to buy a specific insect repellent for tiger mosquitos and take special care to apply it on the lower half of the body, as this particular mosquito tends to fly close to the ground and most frequently attacks legs.
These mosquitoes are also believed to be attracted to perfumes and colognes, so if venturing out in the early evening, it's preferable to limit the use of scents.
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