211 reports in 2023: the number of dengue cases has quadrupled in one year in Occitanie

L'insecte fait l'objet d'une surveillance renforcée, une “priorité de santé” publique pour l'agence régionale de santé, vigilante à la progression des cas. Midi Libre – SCANNER

Public Health France has just published the consolidated report of cases of dengue, chikungunya and zika recorded from May 1 to December 8, 2023. The figures are increasing as the Aedes mosquito, vector of tropical diseases, is increasingly colonizing the region, carried by favorable conditions and global warming.

With 211 cases of dengue and 3 cases of chikungunya recorded between May 1 and December 8, 2023, Occitanie is on the front line: according to data published by Public Health France, this is the third region affected by dengue in mainland France, behind Ile-de-France (641 cases) and Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes (242 cases) .

In France, last year, a total of 2019 imported cases of dengue fever were recorded, compared to 271 in 2022, although it was described as an exceptional year. . The number of cases has also exploded in the region: in 2022, a total of 51 imported cases of dengue were recorded. 

Another disease transmitted by the tiger mosquito, chikungunya is less present in the territory. There were 30 cases imported into France in 2023 (22 in 2022), including 10 in Auvergne-Rhône Alpes, the most impacted region.

Cases of zika are also rare: 9 cases (3 in 2022).

Three indigenous households in Perpignan, Gagnières, Montpellier

Three of the nine foci of indigenous transmission of dengue fever (a viral disease which manifests itself by fever and joint pain) identified in France were located in Occitania: end July-mid-August in Perpignan (11 cases), end of August-end of September in Gagnières in Gard (9 cases) and in September in Montpellier (3 cases).

Mostly present on the Mediterranean coast twenty years ago, the tiger mosquito now colonizes almost the entire regional territory. The insect is the subject of reinforced surveillance, a public health priority for the regional health agency, vigilant to the progression of cases.