The Ministry of Health’s Vector Control Services Unit on Tuesday evening conducted a fogging exercise in a number of city wards in a bid to reduce the mosquito population.
Fogging was done at West Ruimveldt, Shirley Field-Ridley Square, Roxanne Burnham Gardens and Laing Avenue and plans are in train to expand it to include communities as far as Plaisance on the East Coast, a Government Information Agency (GINA) report said. Fogging was already conducted in the Diamond/Grove community on the East Bank.
Chief Inspector Vector Control Services Karanchand Krishnalall was quoted as saying that the exercise aims to reduce the mosquito population as the vector is responsible for diseases such as filaria, malaria and dengue. He is appealing to citizens to cover water storage containers and to be aware of their surroundings, particularly areas where mosquitoes breed. Targeted communities will be notified prior to fogging, so that persons can cover their food supply and protect children who are asthmatic.
According to GINA, the Vector Control Services Unit is collaborating with the City Council to execute this exercise.
In 2010, the ministry introduced the BTI bacteria to aid the reduction of the mosquito population. The BTI bacterium, Bacillus Thuningiensis Irsaelensis, is able to kill 72 species of mosquito larvae, when released into mosquito breeding areas. When the bacterium is ingested by the larvae, it destroys its brain and intestines. This bacterium is not harmful to humans, the environment and other animals.
The ministry is encouraging the public to properly discard of tyres and unwanted containers and to keep their surroundings clean in order to eliminate breeding grounds for the vector.
