Successfully controlled dengue outbreak, says Taposh
The mayor instructed officials to get ready to control Culex ahead of winter
Dhaka South City Corporation has been successful in controlling the dengue outbreak in areas under its jurisdiction, said Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh, mayor of Dhaka South.
"Thanks to everyone's sincere cooperation, we have been able to identify and destroy the Aedes mosquito larvae with combing operations and by raising public awareness through mobile courts," the mayor said, while reviewing the dengue situation in Dhaka at an event on Sunday.
The mayor said very few people are currently infected by dengue.
However, according to the latest estimates of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), from Saturday morning to 8 am of Sunday, some 104 dengue patients were admitted to hospitals in Dhaka.
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Outside of Dhaka, some 42 dengue patients got admitted to hospitals taking the total number of dengue patients so far this year to 23,655, with a casualty count of 91.
Of the total number of dengue patients this year, 5,458 were admitted in October, 7,841 in September, 7,698 in August, 2,286 in July, 272 in June, and 43 in May.
Of the 91 people who died of dengue this year, 22 died in October, 23 in September, 34 in August, and 12 in July.
According to DGHS, some 711 people are currently admitted to 46 public and private hospitals in Dhaka and 153 people are admitted in other divisions across the country.
To control Culex
Mayor Taposh directed Dhaka South's mosquito prevention department to implement necessary measures to control Culex mosquitoes from 1 November.
Culex, a large group of mosquitoes also known as common house mosquitoes, exists throughout the tropics and the lower latitudes of temperate regions. They are the principal vectors that spread the virus causing West Nile fever. Culex mosquitoes can also transmit the parasitic disease lymphatic filariasis and the bacterial disease tularemia.
Noting that Dhaka South has adequate stocks of pesticides, the necessary manpower and vehicles, the mayor said both mosquito prevention workers and their supervisors have been trained to ensure maximum efficiency.
"We have added 25 wheelbarrow machines to our prevention programme, so we can hope that we will be more successful in preventing Culex mosquitoes this time," he added.
According to Dhaka South City Corporation, a total of 37 wheelbarrow machines will be on the ground to control Culex mosquitoes. Two new fogger machines will also be added to every ward.
