NVWA media campaign necessary to stop imports of tiger mosquitoes from holiday countries

Editorial Medicalfacts / Janine Budding May 6, 2024 – 10:04 AM

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Last year, almost 2,000 tiger mosquitoes in 35 municipalities in 10 provinces

Last year, the Dutch Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA) found tiger mosquitoes at a record number of locations. This involved 35 municipalities, spread across all provinces except Friesland and Groningen. In nine municipalities, discoveries were made at importers of used tires, and in two municipalities, discoveries were made at importers of Lucky bamboo. In 22 municipalities, the findings were in residential areas, and the tiger mosquitoes were most likely accidentally brought back from holiday from Italy, France, Spain or other countries where they are common. Now the NVWA has announced the numbers: together it concerns 1952 tiger mosquitoes. The vast majority were found in residential areas: the top 5 consists of Valkenburg (451 tiger mosquitoes), Doetinchem (306), Overbetuwe (213), Aalten (168) and Utrechtse Heuvelrug (165). Tiger mosquitoes have now been found in Valkenburg and Doetinchem, which, according to the Stop Invasive Exotics platform, indicates that control last year was insufficiently effective and the exotic mosquitoes survived the winter. The platform therefore believes that the NVWA should quickly start an intensive media campaign to stop imports from holiday countries as much as possible.

The tiger mosquito is a mosquito native to Asia that can transmit more than 20 viral diseases, such as dengue fever, chikungunya and Zika. A well-known import route is the import of used tires. The health-threatening mosquito was mainly found at tire companies last year. Wilfred Reinhold, chairman of the platform: “The tiger mosquito has been spotted at many of these companies for more than ten years, without the NVWA taking action against it. That is why the platform has started a lawsuit that is now before the Council of State. A date for the hearing has yet to be set.”

Tiger mosquitoes have been found in several provinces, mainly in residential areas but also at companies that import Lucky bamboo and at a flower auction. Discoveries were made in Drenthe at a tire company in Assen. In Overijssel, six tiger mosquitoes were found at a tire company in Hardenberg and 38 were found in Nijverdal. Flevoland reported finds at tire companies in Almere, Lelystad and Emmeloord. Gelderland reported tiger mosquitoes in several municipalities, including Arnhem, Aalten, and Doetinchem. In Utrecht, finds were made in Montfoort, Utrechtse Heuvelrug and Vijfheerenlanden. North Holland, South Holland, Zeeland, North Brabant and Limburg also reported finds, mainly in residential areas but also at companies. In Limburg, tiger mosquitoes were found in several cities, including Heerlen, Nederweert, and Sittard-Geleen. In Weert this was also at a tire company.

Reinhold: “Once again we see that the majority of tiger mosquitoes are found in residential areas. Every time people bring tiger mosquitoes with them from vacation, there is a chance that the mosquitoes will not be spotted in time and they can spread. The situation in Valkenburg, Doetinchem, Arnhem and Hellendoorn, among others, indicates that control is not always effective and they have been able to overwinter. In this way, the chance of establishment increases and it becomes increasingly difficult to eradicate them.

In addition, the tiger mosquitoes imported by travelers cost the NVWA a lot of staff because the finds have to be confirmed, letters have to be distributed in the wider area, and regular checks and control actions have to be carried out.

The NVWA made an information video four years ago, but it has only been viewed 137 times in that time. The NVWA also pays little attention to this problem on social media.

In 2022, the tiger mosquito was spotted in eight residential areas, last year in 22. It is incomprehensible that the NVWA has still not started a large-scale, intensive and long-term media campaign around the import of tiger mosquitoes by travelers. Public health has a vested interest in this, and so does the NVWA itself!”