KIDAPAWAN CITY (MindaNews/2 April)— Health authorities conducted fogging activities Monday at a village in this city with high cases of dengue fever, a health worker said.
Luningning Alqueza, midwife of Barangay Sibawan, said the insecticide spraying targets the Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, carrier of the dengue virus.
Since last January, 15 dengue cases have been recorded in Barangay Sibawan, the highest last month with 10 cases, she said.
Alqueza said one of the patients, an eight-year old girl died, last month, while seven others are still undergoing treatment.
The chemical spraying will eradicate the breeding grounds of the dengue-carrying mosquitoes, she noted.
The measure, however, is limited because the chemicals will only last for a month, she said.
“We want the permanent eradication of the breeding sources of the dengue-causing mosquitoes,” she stressed, urging residents to regularly clean their backyards.
One of the suspected breeding grounds of the deadly mosquitoes in the village is a septic tank that has been left open for a year, Alqueza said, noting that they could also thrive in objects with accumulated water like empty coconut husks, drums, tires and flower pots, and in open stagnant canals.
Alqueza urged officials of Barangay Sibawan to order the owner of the septic tank to seal it as this was identified as the main area where dengue-causing mosquitoes could have possibly thrived.
She also recommended that villagers conduct regular massive clean-up drives in the area.
“This is the problem with some of the residents in the village: some are not keen on helping the government and even fool around while we are trying to prevent the spread of dengue in our area,” Alqueza said.
Dengue fever is an infectious tropical disease caused by the dengue virus. Symptoms include fever, headache, muscle and joint pains, and skin rashes that are similar to measles.
(Malu Cadelina Manar/MindaNews)
