Key development: Surveillance of suspected cases of dengue and chikungunya

To provide early warning of the risk of chikungunya and dengue being introduced and becoming established, a strengthened epidemiological and entomological surveillance system was implemented this year in Haute-Garonne during the mosquito season (May 1 to November 30). Due to the confirmed presence of Aedes albopictus in Haute-Garonne, epidemiological surveillance requires immediate reporting of suspected imported cases of dengue and chikungunya to the ARS. This early reporting allows for an entomological investigation to be launched around the patient’s living areas and for the necessary vector control measures to be implemented to curb the spread of these diseases. To date, 18 reports of suspected dengue or chikungunya have been made. Nine cases of dengue have been confirmed. Thirteen people were viremic at the time of reporting. No entomological surveys have yielded positive results in the living environments of these 13 individuals. For more information: http://www.ars.midipyrenees.sante.fr/Le-moustique-tigre.156739.0.html