Local chikungunya case in Occitanie prompts control measures
It is the second domestic case recorded in mainland France in as many weeks
Tiger mosquitoes are responsible for the spread of several diseases including chikungunya
Soumyabrata Roy/Shutterstock
A second domestic case of chikungunya has been recorded in the south of France in 2025.
The case was recorded in the commune of Prades-le-Lez in the Hérault department, the Agence Régionale de Santé (ARS) announced in a press release on June 16.
It follows the first domestic case of 2025 seen in the Var in the Alpes-Maritimes last week.
The Hérault patient is expected to make a full recovery and their condition “is not cause for concern,” said the Occitanie ARS.
Since May 1, over 50 cases of the virus, which is spread between people by tiger mosquitoes, have been reported in Occitanie, but all other cases have been of people returning from abroad who then developed the disease.
An outbreak of chikungunya on the French overseas department of Réunion is responsible for many of these imported cases.
Symptoms include high fever, joint and muscle pain, fatigue, headaches, and rashes.
People presenting these symptoms in any of the areas where a domestic case is present should immediately contact a doctor.
Aim to stamp out mosquito population in area
Tiger mosquitoes are now present in all regions of France and experts are concerned that if domestic mosquitoes are able to spread the disease, an outbreak may be hard to prevent.
Similar to in the Var, measures to stamp out the tiger mosquito strain responsible for the domestic infection are being carried out in and around Prades-le-Lez.
“Preventive measures are being taken at places frequented by the patient and suspected sites of contamination,” the ARS said.
Local door-to-door surveys will be conducted to check for symptoms in other residents of the commune, and thorough scans of the area to identify and destroy tiger mosquito breeding sites are being carried out.
There is also a wider programme of destroying mosquitoes in the area.
Healthcare professionals in the impacted zones are also being reminded of symptoms and procedures to follow if they believe a domestic case has been found.
To help with the destruction of the local mosquito population (démoustication), residents are asked to help limit their spread by removing potential mosquito breeding grounds such as pools of stagnant water.
Advice from the ARS includes:
Changing the water in plant pots and vases at least once a week or, if possible, removing or filling in the saucers of flower pots with sand
Checking that water drains properly in gutters and drains, and cleaning them regularly
Covering water containers (water cans, cisterns, basins) with mosquito netting or a
simple cloth, covering small pools that are not in use
It is also possible to buy mosquito traps, which in some cases are partially funded by local authorities.
