Tiger mosquito has already been spotted three times at a campsite in Amsterdam

AMSTERDAM – Tiger mosquitoes were found for the first time in Amsterdam. This is apparent from catch data that the Dutch Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA) has recently put on its website. The finds were made on 7, 15 and 22 September. The NVWA does not state how many tiger mosquitoes were caught each time, but it does state that the dangerous exotic mosquito was found each time in postcode area 1108 AZ. This area only includes the addresses Loosdrechtdreef 6, 7 and 9 in Amsterdam Zuidoost. This includes the Gaasper Camping. When asked, the managers of the campsite confirmed to the Stop invasive exotics platform foundation that the tiger mosquitoes were found there.

The tiger mosquito can transmit more than 20 viral diseases and parasites to humans and animals, such as dengue, zika, chikungunya and heartworm. Diseases for which there is often no vaccine and which can sometimes be fatal.

Wilfred Reinhold, chairman of the platform: “The tiger mosquito has arrived in Europe through the import of used tires from Asia. The first finds were made in Italy, where the government did not intervene in time and the mosquitoes were allowed to spread all over Italy and then to neighboring countries. They are now also common in the southern part of France and Spain. It is very likely that tourists from the south have driven to Amsterdam to stay at the campsite, and that several tiger mosquitoes have traveled with them in the car, caravan or luggage.

A few years ago, both the platform and the NVWA made an information film to point out to Dutch tourists going south that they should not take tiger mosquitoes home. Perhaps it would be good if countries such as Italy, France and Spain pointed out to their citizens that they should not take tiger mosquitoes with them when going to northern destinations.”