First native Dengue fever cases recorded in France in 2026
Two separate outbreaks in southern France
The first native cases of Dengue Fever in France this year have been recorded in the south of the country, health officials have confirmed.
The first case was recorded in Carmaux, a commune north of Albi (Tarn) on Monday, stated the Agence régionale de santé Occitanie (ARS, regional health services) in a press release.
“The patient's health condition is not a cause for concern. To prevent local spread of the virus, preventive measures are being implemented at locations the individual visited and at suspected sites of transmission,” the ARS said.
A second case was later declared in Sète (Hérault) also in Occitanie.
Symptoms include high fever, headaches, nausea, vomiting, and muscle pain. If you live in the communes affected and have any of these symptoms, immediately contact your GP.
Dengue Fever is one of the main tropical diseases spread by tiger mosquitoes, alongside Chikungunya and Zika Virus.
These mosquitoes are an invasive species that are now present in all regions of France.
West Nile Virus is spread by the common Culex mosquito, with the first native case of the year being recorded last week.
Native cases becoming more common
Native cases occur when an individual contracts the disease despite not having travelled abroad in the previous 15 days, meaning they were infected by a mosquito in France.
Such cases are becoming increasingly common in the country. Last year, 30 native cases of Dengue Fever were recorded, alongside a record 809 cases of Chikungunya.
In 2024, a record 66 confirmed native cases of Dengue Fever were reported.
This year however, more than 200 cases of imported Dengue Fever (where an individual contracts the disease abroad before returning to France) have been recorded between May 1 and July 12.
When a native case of Dengue Fever or Chikungunya breaks out, authorities implement measures to contain the spread of the disease.
This usually includes mosquito prevention campaigns, including calls for residents in the area to destroy mosquitoes in their garden as well as professional intervention from health authorities to destroy the animals in a given area.
Mosquitoes breed in stagnant water, and residents should check gardens for possible sources and remove them.
Residents in these areas should be acutely aware of the risk of mosquito bites – if one mosquito is able to transmit the disease, then it is possible that many others can too.
