Tiger mosquitoes - What to do?
In 2022, a spread of the tiger mosquito was detected in Monthey, even reaching the neighbouring municipality of Collombey-Muraz.
After spreading in several cantons since 2003, the tiger mosquito appeared on Valais territory for the first time in 2019.
Report any suspicious presence at www.moustiques-suisse.ch. If these simple measures are followed, the possibility of the tiger mosquito becoming established in Valais will be greatly reduced and its spread delayed as much as possible.
Further information can be found at: https://www.vs.ch// info-tigermuecke.
It is particularly undesirable because, unlike native species, it is active during the day. In addition to the discomfort caused by its bites, this mosquito species can also transmit exotic diseases such as dengue fever, Zika and chikungunya.
Although the likelihood of an encounter between the tiger mosquito and an infected person returning from a trip is very low, there is a risk of transmission and a local epidemic. To control the spread of the invasive mosquito, the canton of Valais has set up a surveillance and control programme.
The role of the population in this fight is essential, as the mosquito breeds mainly in small collections of water in gardens of residential areas. The public is invited to participate in the fight as follows: - Eliminate all containers where water can collect, such as watering cans, flowerpot coasters (or fill them with sand), buckets, tyres, gutters, rainwater collection containers, etc.