The Hindu 15.09.2017
GVMC staff on drive to end mosquito menace
kill nearly three quarters of a million people each year worldwide and
cause sickness in millions more. Malaria alone is responsible for more
than half of the mosquito-related deaths, predominantly in sub-Saharan
Africa, according to a recent US Agency for International Development
(USAID) report.
Mosquitoes also transmit dengue, lymphatic filariasis, chikungunya and Japanese encephalitis.
This highlights the importance of control and elimination of mosquitoes.
The
malaria staff of the Public Health Department of the Greater
Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC) has taken up fogging in
various areas of the city where malaria cases have been reported.
Spraying of oil balls and larvicides was done in 849 identified places to kill the moquioto larvae.
The
staff members also educated residents of various slums on the need to
keep their surroundings clean and to allow water stagnation, according
to A. Hemanth, Chief Medical Officer of GVMC.
It is high time people also realised their responsibility of ensuring there was no water stagnation around their homes.
The water storage containers should be properly covered.
The
waste water which collects in the tray behind the refrigerator, the
water from the Air Condition outdoor unit and other sources should be
regularly emptied at least once a week to prevent the breeding of
mosquitoes.