The tiger mosquito has a flight range of less than 200 metres. Experts blame the worldwide transport of used tyres for its spread.
Keystone
Asian tiger mosquitoes, which can carry harmful diseases like the Zika virus, have reached the Swiss city of Zurich. Insects, larvae and eggs were found in the Wollishofen area.
Tiger mosquito eggs had already been discovered three years ago near Zurich station in buses coming from abroad. The specimens found in the Wollishofen district survived the winter, the city authorities said on Tuesday.
Control measures have been put in place. The residents of the neighbourhood were invited to an information session. There is currently no reason to be concerned about the presence of this insect, the authorities said.
Tiger mosquitoes can potentially transmit diseases such as dengue fever or Chikungunya.
The Zurich city authorities are asking for residents’ help in the fight against this insect. Anyone who spots a tiger mosquito is encouraged to either capture or photograph it for submission to the Environmental and Health Protection Department.
In Switzerland, tiger mosquitoes have already been spotted in Graubünden in the east, Ticino in the south and Basel in the north. In Europe, they have had a strong presence in Italy since the early 1990s. They have also been found in Germany, France, Belgium and the Netherlands.
The tiger mosquito, which originated in Southeast Asia, has a flight range of less than 200 metres and experts believe the worldwide transport of used tyres, probably from China, is to blame for its spread.
More
More
Ticino sounds the alarm over mosquito menace
This content was published on
A working group is now trying to find ways to eradicate the Asian Tiger mosquito, which can carry diseases including rheumatic and dengue fever. “We found it in the village of Coldrério just across the border from Italy,” Peter Lüthy, head of a canton Ticino mosquito control group, told swissinfo. The small insect with a…
What factors should be taken into account when inheriting Swiss citizenship abroad?
Should there be a limit to the passing on of Swiss citizenship? Or is the current practice too strict and it should still be possible to register after the age of 25?
Is your place of origin, your Heimatort, important to you?
Every Swiss citizen has a Heimatort, a place of origin, but many have never visited theirs. What’s your relationship with your Heimatort? What does it mean to you?
Switzerland postpones online platform scrutiny as US tensions rise
This content was published on
Switzerland has delayed regulating large online platforms such as Google, Facebook, YouTube and X while trade tensions are rising.
Swiss Rhône river region braces for possible flooding
This content was published on
A pre-alert for possible flooding has been announced for the Rhône river as some regions of Switzerland brace for bad weather.
Switzerland commits CHF250 million for humanitarian aid
This content was published on
Switzerland allocates CHF250m to the World Food Programme, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and the International Committee of the Red Cross.
This content was published on
Swiss electricity grid operator posts CHF103.8 million net profit, an increase of CHF3.8 million from 2023, boosted by higher tariffs.
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.
Read more
More
Swiss patrol borders to ward off mosquito menace
This content was published on
The Tiger mosquito which originates in south-east Asia, established itself in Italy in the 1990s. So called because of the white stripes on its legs and thorax, the mosquito is an aggressive biter and very efficient bearer of disease. Ever since the insect was sported north of Milan, alarm bells have been ringing in Switzerland’s…
This content was published on
Authorities said it was too soon to say whether they were dealing with an isolated mosquito that had been carried into the canton or one from a local population. But the Federal Health Office added that there were no indications that the tiger mosquitoes found in canton Aargau were transmitters of infections such as dengue…
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.