Aedes mosquito density higher than past year - newagebd.net

The density of dengue virus carrying Aedes mosquitoes in 2022 is more than that in 2021 in Dhaka, revealed the Directorate General of Health Services pre-monsoon survey report on Wednesday.

 Public health experts observing the report feared that dengue situation might deteriorate this year than the past year, if actions are not taken immediately.

DGHS survey according to Breteau Index this year identified 22 sites as risky which was 13 past year.

In 2021, dengue claimed 105 lives and sent 28,829 patients to hospitals, most of the victims were in Dhaka.

National Malaria Elimination and Aedes Transmission Disease Control Programme of DGHS found the dire situation after surveying 110 sites between March 24 and April 3 in 98 wards under Dhaka North City Corporation and Dhaka South City Corporation.

 A team of 21-member  visited about 3,150 houses under the city corporations to complete the survey.

The survey found Aedes mosquito's larvae in 159 houses, which was 5.05 per cent of the total figure.

Director General of DGHS Abul Bashar Mohammed Khurshid Alam said, 'All the causes of Aedes population hike are man-made so the authority if wish can control them.'

He asked the city corporations to take actions immediately.

'If dengue breaks out during Covid-19 it will be severe challenge for health sector,' he said.

Public health experts said that if the authority failed to take pragmatic actions timely the situation might deteriorate during the upcoming monsoon season leading to a spread of the dengue disease.

Public health expert Be Nazir Ahmed told New Age that the vector survey found higher presence of Aedes mosquito in Dhaka which might cause dengue outbreak or increase the positive cases until the authority take some pragmatic actions involving local people.

Mosquito population can be reduced very rapidly if the agency concerned intervenes, he explained.

He said that not only in Dhaka, there should be a national strategic plan of actions for other urban areas to control mosquito.

Jahangirnagar University Zoology Department Professor and medical entomologist Kabirul Bashar said that the wards found BI above 10 were at risk of dengue outbreak.

'It is clearly evident that Aedes mosquito population is higher this year than previous year,' he said.

He suggested giving attention to breeding source management through community involvement.

He said, 'A comprehensive mosquito management which comprises biological, environmental, and chemical and community participation in mosquito control is needed for better result.'

DGHS teams visited 3,150 households and found 159 Aedes positive households, 63 households under DNCC and 96 under DSCC.

Three wards 45, 38, 40 of DSCC were identified as highly risky in the city. Of them, the highest BI was found 23.33 at ward 45 of DSCC.

The survey team held 2,671 mosquitos setting 80 traps and found in Dhaka city 94.92 per cent mosquitos are Culex and others while 5.1 per cent are Aedes.

Flooded floor, plastic drums in construction sites were identified as breeding spots mainly.

DSCC's Gendaria, Swamibagh, Narinda, Dayaganj, Kaptan Bazar, Nabanpur, Wari, DNCC's Mirpur, Agargaon, Mohammadpur were the hotspots of mosquito breeding.

DSCC chief health officer Fazle Shamsul Kabir said that during last month DSCC was conducting a collective anti-mosquito drive in its area.

'I hope present situation has already improved, and it will improve more soon,' he said.

DNCC chief health officer Brigadier General Zobaidur Rahman said that they would release Guppy fish within seven days in all its water bodies to control mosquito on breeding spots.

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