'Hitchhiking' mosquitoes that can transmit dengue and Zika virus found breeding in UK
UKHSA said control measures and enhanced surveillance are underway after larvae were found in several homes, with the public risk still very low.
- On Thursday, the Health Security Agency reported the first confirmed instance of Aedes aegypti mosquitoes breeding in the UK, discovering adults and larvae at residential properties in east London.
- It is the fourth detection of Aedes in recent years, as the species is known to "hitchhike" in imported plants, baggage, and vehicles, though this marks the first time they have bred locally.
- Dr. Jolyon Medlock, Head of Medical Entomology at UKHSA, assessed the public health risk as "very low," noting that the broader UK climate remains too cold for the species to establish long-term.
- Health officials are conducting enhanced surveillance and trapping to eradicate the infestation, while stressing as a "precaution" that Londoners should remove standing water from outdoor spaces to prevent breeding opportunities.
- Monitoring efforts continue through the UKHSA Mosquito Watch scheme, as experts warn that warmer climates may increase future reports of invasive mosquitoes being able to survive in the UK.
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38 Articles
The larva of a tropical mosquito that can spread dengue and Zika viruses has been found in the UK, Sky News reports. It is the first time the mosquito has been seen breeding in the country. The species is known to reach new areas by “hitchhiking” via luggage and imported plants.
Sky News UK
Great Yorkshire Radio'Hitchhiking' mosquitoes that can transmit dengue and Zika virus found breeding in UK
Officials said the risk to the public remains low and the overall UK climate is too cold for Aedes aegypti mosquitoes to survive long-term.
Novinky.cz
Deník.czAn invasive tropical mosquito species that can transmit the Zika virus and dengue fever to humans has been found in the British capital for the first time. Climate change, manifested by a warmer climate in northern Europe, may make the invasions of tropical mosquito species more frequent and longer-lasting, according to experts, the British newspaper The Guardian wrote.
Mosquitoes capable of spreading deadly Zika virus found in Britain for first time
A breeding colony of Aedes aegypti mosquitoes – the species responsible for transmitting Zika virus, dengue and yellow fever – has been identified in east London, marking the first sighting of reproduction on British soil.The UK Health Security Agency confirmed the discovery of the mosquitoes, along with their larvae, in a residential area of the capital.Specialist teams have been dispatched by the UKHSA to eradicate the colony before it can bec…
Kreiszeitung
An Aedes-aegypti colony with larvae has been found in London – a sign that the warming of the climate brings disease carriers to Britain.
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