Health authorities take swift action following Tiger Mosquito detection in Tenerife

Health officials in Tenerife have intensified efforts to combat the presence of tiger mosquitoes on the island, with 817 traps installed and nearly 100 homes inspected. the Minister of Health, Esther Monzón, provided this update during a parliamentary session on Tuesday in response to inquiries about the protocols activated by Public Health due to their presence being detected on the island.

Monzón explained that the Department of Public Health is actively implementing protocols following the detection of specimens of these mosquitoes on the island. The entomological surveillance system, in place since 2013, is being coordinated to identify these vectors.

In response to the first one detected in September, various measures have been taken, including chemical controls, the placement of 136 traps inside and outside homes, and in the vicinity where the mosquito was found. Additionally, inspections have been conducted on 94 residential properties, nearby buildings, and schools in the area.

Ongoing efforts include epidemiological surveys and the identification of mosquito bites to enhance vector management, Monzón added.

Simultaneously, awareness campaigns and information dissemination have taken place, involving community meetings and the sharing of advice through official social media channels of the Ministry of Health and the Public Health Directorate of the SCS.

As part of the protocol, health centres and pharmacies, within a 500-metre radius of the location where the specimen was found, have been informed to be "particularly vigilant" against abnormal bites and febrile processes in people who have recently travelled to geographic areas where diseases transmitted by mosquitoes, such as dengue or Chikungunya, are prevalent.

The Minister specified that these diseases do not circulate in the Canary Islands, and cases are sporadic and imported. In collaboration with the Santa Cruz de Tenerife Council, inspections and treatments were carried out in drains, irrigation points, parks, gardens, and ravines around the area where the specimen was collected, with continuous ongoing monitoring.

Monzón emphasised the crucial role of citizen collaboration in preventing breeding sites and identifying potential specimens. She urged the public to send photos of suspected Aedes albopictus presence or images of severe inflammatory reactions to bites to the email address [email protected], indicating the exact geographical location and a contact phone number.

Tenerife has been monitored for detecting these mosquitoes since 2013, with the installation of 196 specific traps on the island, contributing to a total of 635 traps across the Canary Islands. Twenty-one of these were installed in the greenhouse where these specimens were first detected.