Spain: authorities intensifying anti-mosquito measures in Costa Blanca

Local authorities in the Costa Blanca are stepping up measures to fight public health vectors, especially the invasive tiger mosquito. The town of Finestrat has started treatments in several key areas to eliminate potential breeding grounds for the insects, whose spread has been exacerbated by rising temperatures and climate change. Estela Álvarez, Finestrat’s councillor for the environment, said the treatments mainly target urban drainage grates, former irrigation ponds, and other places where water tends to accumulate and stagnate. The aim is to control the populations of the Culex, Aedes, and Anopheles mosquitoes. Nati Algado, the councillor for health, added that mosquitoes are not only a nuisance but a significant concern because they transmit diseases like the West Nile Virus. Therefore, residents are also urged to do their part in preventing the spread of these vectors, avoiding the creation of puddles and other damp environments on their properties.
At a broader level, the Alicante Provincial Council supports a four-month Action Plan against Vector Proliferation, including regular inspections and treatments with larvicides and adulticides in the affected areas.  Meanwhile, Spain’s Ministry of Health coordinates surveillance and control measures in collaboration with local governments, especially those of regions on the Mediterranean coast. These measures include population monitoring, the use of larvicides and adulticides, and public awareness campaigns encouraging the elimination of breeding grounds.