UK draws up action plan for deadly mosquitoes

The UK has spent the last three months battling COVID-19 – and there are growing fears it could face another health threat in the form of killer mosquitoes.

Public Health England, a government funded agency designed to improve the nation's health and wellbeing, has published an action plan to prepare for the arrival of non-native mosquitoes.

Aedes albopictus mosquitoes – or tiger mosquitoes, as they are often known – are native to the tropical and sub-tropical areas of southeast Asia but have become widely established across Europe in recent years a result of climate change, international travel and the increased movement of goods.

The UK has published an action plan to prepare for the arrival of non-native mosquitoes, which could transmit deadly viruses to humans. /AP

Tiger mosquitoes have been found at different sites in Kent for the last three years between 2016 to 2019 but haven't yet transmitted exotic viruses to humans in the UK.

- Public Health England

Tiger mosquitoes have been found at different sites in Kent for the last three years between 2016 to 2019 but haven't yet transmitted exotic viruses to humans in the UK. There have, however, been cases of zika virus, dengue fever and chikungunya in Europe attributed to the insect.

The biggest concern for the UK is the growing presence of tiger mosquitoes in France, notably in Paris, where they have reproduced rapidly alongside road networks, resulting in 2019 in the country's first reported case of Zika virus. They are expected to become established in northern France in the years to come, which could provide multiple routes to the UK.

A map showing the spread of non-native mosquitoes across Europe. Red areas have either recorded incidences or established populations of mosquitoes. /European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control and European Food Safety Authority

Currently there is no evidence mosquitoes have become established in the UK – just three incursions were reported in 2019 – but predictive-model technology used by health experts has suggested that they could soon settle in Britain, bringing with them three deadly viruses that can be transmitted to humans.

In preparation for their arrival, Public Health England has now issued an action plan to monitor, prevent and deal with the health threat posed by mosquitoes. Five levels of risk have been identified, with specific tactics outlined for each eventuality. The UK is currently at risk level one, which means mosquitoes have been detected but any cases of the viruses they typically carry have been imported from humans and animals entering from other countries.

The UK has highlighted five levels of threat and is currently at level one. /AP

A surveillance plan has been put in place, primarily at ports of entry to the UK and across main highway routes in an attempt to detect mosquitoes and ensure that they don't become established in Britain. Monthly meetings will be held across the year to inform local health authorities of any impending threat so hospitals can prepare to deal with potential new viruses.