Dordogne runs anti-mosquito operation after chikungunya outbreak
The campaign is ‘preventative’, with affected residents asked to stay indoors and bring in pets and washing
Chikungunya is spread by tiger mosquitoes, which also spread dengue fever and zika
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A commune in Dordogne (Nouvelle-Aquitaine) is running an anti-mosquito operation today (October 8) after an outbreak of the viral infection chikungunya.
Les Eyzies is set to be sprayed with anti-mosquito insecticide overnight tonight, from 22:00 to 07:00, weather permitting (no rain or strong wind). The commune organised the operation after a case of chikungunya was confirmed in a Bergerac resident who had recently stayed there.
Vehicles will drive through the streets spraying the insecticide, while other less-accessible areas will be sprayed by hand.
Residents affected by the spraying will have received a notice in their letterbox to let them know.
They are advised to stay indoors, close all windows and doors overnight, bring in all washing from outside, and keep any pets indoors. After the spraying, they should rinse outdoor furniture and other outdoor items.
Chikungunya outbreak
There have been 89 cases of the virus in Bergerac, the department Agence Régionale de Santé (ARS) has confirmed.
The operation in Les Eyzies is ‘preventative’, because it has been confirmed that one person from Bergerac stayed there while they were contagious. It is not clear if they were there for work or holiday.
The infection was identified because the ARS opens an epidemiological investigation each time someone is confirmed to have chikungunya, including cataloguing all the places they have been in the 10 days prior. This includes their home, workplace, or locations for other activities.
At the time of writing, no cases of chikungunya have been identified in Les Eyzies itself.
Chikungunya is spread by tiger mosquitoes, when they bite an infected person and then go on to bite others.
Symptoms include fever, joint pain, joint swelling, headache, and rash. This usually appears within three to seven days of the bite. Most people feel better within a week, and treatment mainly focuses on relieving symptoms.
Tiger mosquitoes can also spread dengue fever, and zika. More than 300 native cases of tropical mosquito-borne diseases were recorded in France this summer, the highest level to date.
Between May 1 and September 2, 44 episodes of either chikungunya or dengue fever were registered in mainland France, states health authority Santé Publique France in its latest report.
Overall, 301 native cases of chikungunya were identified, alongside 19 native cases of dengue fever during the summer period.
This is far higher than the levels seen in 2024, when 127 native cases were recorded.
These ‘native’ cases are recorded when an individual contracts a disease despite not leaving France for at least 15 days prior. This means they were infected by a mosquito in mainland France.
Alongside these native cases, between May 1, 2025 and September 2, 2025 there were close to 2,000 imported cases, where someone contracted the disease outside of mainland France and then brought it back.
