Opponents blocked the mosquito control operation in Saintes

It was a beekeeper from Saintes who was first alerted. The mosquito control operation is scheduled to be conducted on Wednesday morning between 4 a.m. and 6 a.m. in the station area. Concerned residents were warned by flyers left in their mailboxes. The same process must take place at the same time in Saint-Pierre d’Oléron and in Saugon (except for unforeseen weather conditions).

This includes eliminating tiger mosquitoes in areas frequented less than two weeks ago by someone returning from abroad carrying arbovirus (chikungunya, Zika, or dengue virus). The goal is to avoid any contamination The regional health agency indicates. It is the root of mosquito control operations. It specifies that the product used is deltamethrin Commercially available insecticideIt will be deployed at eye level, within a radius of 150 metres.

Flyers left in the mailboxes of residents affected by this outbreak offer some tips to avoid any health risks: Close your windows overnight from Tuesday to Wednesday, and wash your vegetables If they come from a botanical garden located in the area.

The operation was blocked by opponents in Saints

In Saintes, the mosquito control announcement alarmed residents, as well as members of the European Parliament. European Environment Greens Benoît Petoux, farmer in Charente-Maritimes: “ This molecule is not harmful, it is very controversial because it is highly toxic to fish and shellfish “. It is believed that other, less harmful products could have been used.

Concern turned into a demonstration on Tuesday evening: About forty people gathered in front of the court, carrying signs Advertisement “No to pesticides in Saintes”. It also carried out night patrols in the area, which prevented the operation from being carried out. The regional health agency confirms this on Wednesday Mosquito control is not carried out in Saintes“Conditions were not met” There were a lot of people in the street.

The operation to Saintes has therefore been postponed, to a date yet to be determined, with a risk in the meantime of the spread of the arbovirus, and new contaminations indicated by the Director of the Regional Rescue Service of Charente-Maritime. It can occur with another type of insecticideIt is less controversial, and he acknowledges that the Rescue Society is considering it. But he says that would also be less effective.

Six operations have already been carried out in Charente-Maritime

Six deltamethrin deployment operations have already been carried out since the beginning of the year in Charente-Maritime, ARS specifies, and more are planned in the coming weeks and the administration is not the only one involved in New Aquitaine.