Tiger mosquito sightings in Belgium continue to grow

Tiger mosquitoes have been spotted in nine places in Belgium since May, with more than 800 total reports of potential tiger sightings since the start of the year.

Reports made on the citizen surveillance platform SurveillanceMoustiques this year exceed last year's total by more than 100 reports.

Thirteen cases have been verified as genuine, public health institute Sciensano reports.

New sightings were made in Boom, Humbeek, Ghent and Schelle in Flanders, Verviers in Wallonia and Saint-Josse-ten-Noode in the Brussels region - the capital’s first. Others were found in known locations, in Wilrijk, Kessel-Lo and Wolfsdonk in Flanders.

In four of the six new locations, the mosquitoes were spotted during the first three months of the season, whereas the peak of reports usually occurs in August and September.

Surveillance also revealed that the tiger mosquito established itself over the winter at five sites (in Ath, Puurs-Saint-Amand, Kessel-Lo, Wilrijk and Lebbeke), compared with two last year.

“The unusually warm winter favoured the survival of overwintering eggs,” said Isra Deblauwe, entomologist at the Antwerp Institute of Tropical Medicine (ITM).

Sciensano and the ITM stressed the importance of reports made by members of the public via the www.surveillancemoustiques.be website and the app of the same name on Android and iOS.

“Every report helps us to rapidly assess the situation and take action if necessary,” Sciensano said.

The tiger mosquito breeds in stagnant water, such as flower pots. It can transmit viruses such as dengue fever, chikungunya and zika.

No cases of illness following a tiger mosquito bite have yet been recorded in Belgium.