"Significant circulation is to be feared": towards an outbreak of viruses transmitted by tiger mosquitoes this summer in the Alpes-Maritimes?

Dengue fever, chikungunya, Zika... In addition to its irritating nature, the bite of a tiger mosquito can also transmit viruses from elsewhere... And in this summer of 2025, the signals are red in the Alpes-Maritimes.

On Friday, June 17, during the presentation of the pest control plan in Nice, Romain Alexandre, departmental director of the regional health agency (ARS), warned: "In 2024, our department recorded an unprecedented number of indigenous cases [contamination on the territory and not during a trip] of dengue. This year, in Réunion and Mayotte, there are fears of significant circulation of the virus in our territory."

Figures already on the rise

The data available to the ARS confirms an upward trend at the start of summer: "13 imported cases in the Alpes-Maritimes compared to 6 at the same date last year," the official emphasizes.

In 2022, the largest indigenous chain of dengue transmission in France (35 cases) was recorded in the Alpes-Maritimes, in the Saint-Jeannet, Gattières area. Romain Alexandre reminds us: " Any confirmed case of dengue, chikungunya or zika, imported or indigenous, is reported to the ARS and is investigated in order to identify potential places of contamination and the risks of spread."