Invasive Aedes aegypti mosquitoes detected in Mogán, Gran Canaria

Health authorities in the Canary Islands have detected the invasive mosquito species ‘Aedes aegypti’ in the municipality of Mogán, Gran Canaria. This discovery follows the identification of ‘Aedes albopictus’ in the Motor Grande area of the same municipality last week.

The detection was triggered by a citizen report regarding unusual mosquito bites at a residence in the urban center of Mogán. Following the report, specialists from the University of La Laguna’s Institute of Tropical Diseases and Public Health, along with the Gran Canaria Health Area, conducted inspections and confirmed the presence of larvae through laboratory analysis.

In response, the regional Ministry of Health has reinforced the Entomological Surveillance System. Protocols include placing traps around the affected residence and its surroundings, increasing sampling frequency, and intensifying inspection and cleaning efforts to control potential spread. Current evidence suggests the introduction may have been an accidental and isolated event via material potentially carrying mosquito eggs.