Mérida, Yucatán — The “giant” mosquitoes are back, but there’s no cause for panic.
For the third time in less than two years, rain and wind have brought the black salt marsh mosquito to Mérida and nearby municipalities.
And here are two good things to be said about the feisty Aedes taeniorhynchus:
Their larger size makes them easier to swat.
And fortunately they don’t transmit chikungunya, zika or dengue.
The mosquitoes’ natural habitats are the coastal mangroves and natural reserves, said Jorge Palacio Vargas, an official with the Secretariat of Health of Yucatan.
The salt marsh mosquito is well known to Florida residents, where it is considered a nuisance because of its aggressiveness.
Adult specimens rest in vegetation during the day and attack anyone who invades their habitats, even in the sun.
According to the Federal Health Department, 39 confirmed cases of dengue fever have been recorded in Yucatán so far this year, 43.5 percent less than in the same period of 2016. In addition, 11 cases of zika have already been detected, when compared to last year the figure was two people were infected.
So far this year, no cases of chikungunya have been detected on the Yucatán Peninsula.
Yucatán ranks fifth in the number of zika cases in Mexico, and 14th for dengue, according to health officials.
Source: El Grillo
