What mosquito prevention strategies are currently in place, and are they effective?
Project Wolbachia – Singapore’s initial niche discharge was launched by NEA in 2016. The project’s goal is to free adult Aedes aegypti mosquitoes that transmit the Wolbachia microbes so that they can mat in an urban setting with the female species. Their resulting eggs don’t nest, and no young are born. & nbsp,
According to NEA, continued discharges result in a reduction in the industrial Aedes anegypti malaria community and consequently less mosquito transfer. & nbsp,
Baey Yam Keng, Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Sustainability and the Environment, stated in May of this year that the project has benefited more than one million people, covering about 30 % of all HDB blocks and 9 % of Singapore’s landed residential areas.
More than 90 % of Aedes aegypti mosquito populations were reduced in Tampines, Yishun, Choa Chu Kang, and Bukit Batok, according to Mr. Baey. & nbsp,
The Gravitrap, created by the Environmental Health Institute( EHI ) of the NEA, is intended to draw and capture female Aedes mosquitoes looking for egg-laying sites.
These containers may catch female mosquitoes as they try to lay their eggs and stop them from biting other people. Additionally, the Gravitrap traps and stops any mosquito from emerging from eggs that are laid in the pit.
Nearly 70,000 Gravitraps have reportedly been deployed at landed and common housing estates all over Singapore, according to NEA.
According to NEA, gravitraps themselves do not increase the pest population already present in the area but rather help to lower the number of mosquitoes emerging from another breeding grounds.
Additionally, by instructing officers to look for and destroy breeding habitats at sites with higher Aedes mosquito populations, NEA is able to” prioritize its assets” by knowing which Gravitraps are capturing these mosquitoes, the organization added.
Members of the public may remove stagnant water and follow the” S-A-W” methods, which include spraying insecticide in dark areas around the house, applying insect repellent frequently, and wearing long-sleeve heads and long pants, to prevent an increase in dengue cases, according to the NEA.
In order to prevent spreading the dengue virus to mosquitoes and other people in their neighborhoods, those who have been diagnosed with or are suspected of having the disease are also advised to avoid additional mosquito bites by using mosquito repellent and performing the other S-A-W activities.
According to NEA, all locals must act right away to reduce the number of Aedes mosquitoes and stop the spread of illness. They can accomplish this by regularly performing the” B-L-O-C-K” actions, which include breaking up hardened soil, lifting and empty flower pot sheets, flipping over pails and wiping their edges, changing water in pots, maintaining clean roof gutters.
Dr. Dickens of the NUS Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health remarked that these techniques are” a party work” in terms of their efficacy. & nbsp,
It only takes one breeding habitat for plenty of mosquito to look, she said, adding that if everyone is consistent in their S-A-W and B-L-O-C-K actions, mosquito populations may struggle to burn and reproduce, and the risk of dengue outbreaks will decrease.
It is crucial for B-L-O-C-K to occur frequently, not just when an eruption begins. S-A-W can thoroughly prevent the spread of the virus to the other flies and the people in the wider neighborhood in people who have been diagnosed with dengue or who are suspected of having it, Dr. Dickens continued. & nbsp,
The expert on infectious diseases added that there is” no one-stop answer” for dengue and emphasized methods like Wolbachia technology, breeding habitat removal, and personal safety. & nbsp,
Dr. Dickens continued,” The secret is to constantly become proactive rather than being careful when an eruption is already here. & nbsp,