Invasive mosquito species found breeding in London

An invasive mosquito species known to spread diseases such as the dengue, chikungunya and Zika viruses has been found breeding in some east London homes.

The Aedes aegypti insects have been detected in the UK before now, but this is the first time they have been discovered reproducing.

They are usually found in countries with tropical and subtropical climates and it is thought the breed was imported accidentally in baggage, in vehicles or with plants. Measures are now in place to destroy the larvae, and surveillance and trapping have been stepped up.

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said the risk to the public was low and there was no evidence of humans being infected by these insects.

Despite recent heatwaves, the overall UK climate is too cold for this species to survive long-term, the UKHSA said, which identified them through the Mosquito Watch scheme, set up to detect invasive species.

UKHSA's head of medical entomology, Dr Jolyon Medlock, said: "There is no evidence that these mosquitoes have caused human infections and importantly, to date, there is no evidence of the mosquitoes or larvae being detected in nearby public areas" while Dr César López-Camacho, from Nuffield Department of Medicine at the University of Oxford, said this was an "important finding" but not an occasion to be alarmed.

Medlock added the UK would continue to see cases of invasive mosquitoes, and in the warming climate he expected increased reports of them being able to survive.

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