New Aedes mosquito triggers Dengue surveillance in Bengal

Kolkata: West Bengal Health Department has stepped up surveillance after identifying a new species of Aedes mosquito in the state. State Health minister Dr Sharadwat Mukherjee said Aedes lineatopennis, a species belonging to the Aedes genus, has been detected in West Bengal for the first time.Until now, Aedes aegypti has been regarded as the primary vector responsible for transmitting dengue, yellow fever and chikungunya. The newly identified species, Aedes lineatopennis, is found in several parts of Asia and Africa, including India, but has now been recorded in West Bengal as well. The minister said entomologists in the Health Department have intensified surveillance following the discovery, and an expert team is studying the species and its potential public health implications. Mukherjee said the presence of another Aedes species capable of transmitting disease could increase the risk of dengue outbreaks in the future.