Killer mosquitoes which unfold lethal ailments coming to Britain, specialists warn
Eggs of an Aedes albopictus mozzie – known as the tiger mosquito – were found in a surveillance trap at a motorway service station in Kent as experts have warned over the deadly diseases they could spread
Killer mosquitoes which spread deadly diseases are becoming more common in Britain, experts warn.
Eggs of an Aedes albopictus mozzie – known as the tiger mosquito – were found in a surveillance trap at a motorway service station in Kent.
The beastly bloodsuckers can transmit dengue, chikungunya and zika to humans.
And the eggs of another species capable of spreading tropical diseases, Aedes aegypti, were found at a freight storage facility near Heathrow Airport.
There is an increasing presence of the dreaded critters on British shores, according to a new report by the Centre for Climate and Health Security, part of the UK Health Security Agency.
Its lead author Colin Johnston warned “without timely action, the UK faces the risk of invasive mosquito populations becoming established.”
He added: “Their detection highlights the importance of ongoing, enhanced surveillance to reduce the risk of mosquito-borne diseases.”
Rising temperatures and milder winters are allowing the pests to survive when typically they would have died in Britain’s chillier weather.
Teams set “ovitraps” – devices used to monitor and control mozzies – at seaports, airports, and transport hubs on highways in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland.
The traps were monitored every two weeks from June to October every year and the mosquito species were identified using state of the art techniques, working with university boffins.
The Ae. aegypti eggs were detected at the Heathrow freight storage facility in September 2023 and the Ae. albopictus was found for the first time since 2019 in Kent.
Kent is a key point of entry into the UK for invasive mosquitoes due to its major ferry ports and the Eurotunnel, which are connected to the motorway network.
Chikungunya can kill while the zika virus poses a severe risk to unborn children.
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