Speaking to Lusa, the Algarve Health delegate, Ana Cristina Guerreiro, revealed that there is no record of mosquitoes infected with any of these diseases in the Algarve because although the mosquito is present in the region, it would first have to bite infected people to transmit the disease to other people.

According to Ana Cristina Guerreiro, ‘Aedes albopictus’ - the scientific name for this species of mosquito - likes “small amounts of clean water” to breed, such as that found in “pot dishes, car tyres or in natural containers”.

The regional health delegate stressed that the mosquito “does not like salt marshes”, and instead looks for areas where “rain or irrigation water” accumulates, which is why they are encouraging citizens to reinforce their attention to these places, asking people to help “to reduce them.”

The health authority has already carried out training actions aimed at city officials, gardeners, condominiums and residents since they can “contribute to the reduction of mosquito multiplication”, she reinforced.

The invasive mosquito species ‘Aedes albopictus’ was first detected in September 2017 in a tyres factory in the north of the country, triggering a surveillance response by public health authorities at local, regional and national levels.

In 2018 it was detected in the Algarve, in the municipality of Loulé, and, this year, in the municipality of Faro. However, at this moment “there is the mosquito, but none have yet been detected carrying diseases.”

“We currently have traps in various parts of the municipality of Faro, on the perimeter of the parish of Montenegro and Ria Formosa permanently,” highlighted Ana Cristina Guerreiro.

Health authorities have been “expanding the investigation perimeter”, placing traps in the municipality of Loulé, but also on the perimeter of the airport “as part of obligations relating to border monitoring”.