Noman Mosharef :
Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) is fighting to demean dengue outbreak that devastated the city dwellers last year. It is again lurking with the gradual rise in its infection rate during the ongoing pre-monsoon period.
Experts also warned that the capital city may witness even a worse outbreak of aedes mosquito-borne dengue this year than the last year as the presence of such virus carrying blood-sucking insects is very high in the early days of spring.
Two recent surveys– one by the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) and another by a team of researchers from Jahangirnagar University– found aedes mosquito larvae at an alarming level at different wards of Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) and Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC).
The Breteau Index of aedes mosquito was 20-30 points at many wards of the two city corporations, which is very alarming.
However, the DNCC tries to control dengue outbreak as its Mayor promises best effort to fight against dengue.
Commencing his duties as mayor of the DNCC, for a second term, Atiqul Islam pledged to deploy his best efforts in the battles against Covid-19 and dengue simuttancely.
The DNCC has also launched free dengue tests from May 11.
“Mobile courts has started operation from May 10 and drives have been conducted from May 16 at buildings under the city corporation,” said a DNCC official.
A 10-day cleaning programme has started from May 16 to destroy mosquito breeding grounds, he said.
Experts have urged the city corporation to take strong measures to combat the dengue fever this year while calling on the citizens to stay alert.
A total of 311 dengue cases were registered across Bangladesh until June 13, according to the DGHS. Dhaka is the epicentre of the outbreak with 243 cases. Three patients are currently receiving treatment in hospitals while 308 have been discharged.
Many dengue patients are receiving care at home as the hospitals are currently flooded with Covid-19 patients.
National Malaria Elimination and Aedes Transmitted Disease Control Programme under the DGHS conducted a pre-season survey in March, followed by an inspection of the DNCC areas from June 6-13.
The DNCC is yet to make any significant move regarding the matter.
Entomologists found Aedes mosquito larvae in 341 of 1,611 houses in neighbourhoods under DNCC jurisdiction.
The primary information was needed to find out the house index and Breteau index score, said Dr Afsana Alamgir Khan, Deputy Programme Manager of National Malaria Elimination and Aedes Transmitted Disease Control Programme.
Once the index is calculated, the real picture of the presence of Aedes mosquitoes in DNCC neighbourhoods will emerge, Afsana said, adding the prevalence of Aedes mosquitoes in DNCC neighbourhoods was ‘alarming.’
“We found the larvae mostly inside houses. Mosquitoes are breeding in puddles and stagnant water found in holes or paper boxes on sun shades.”
The information gathered by the national malaria elimination programme indicates the high presence of Aedes mosquitoes in Dhaka, said Kabirul Bashar, a Professor of Zoology at Jahangirnagar University.
“The rainfall has already started this season and has provided ample breeding ground for the mosquitoes. Usually, the density of mosquito population starts increasing in June and reaches its peak in July. Therefore, the number of dengue patients tends to rise in August.”
The city corporation must adopt effective measures to curb the mosquito menace while people should be made aware of the issue, he said.
“Citizens must the presence of stagnant water inside or around their houses which can serve as a mosquito breeding ground.”
The DNCC conducted a combing operation to kill mosquitoes in five of its areas from May 16-20 and found Aedes larvae in 187 of the 9,463 houses inspected.
In the second phase of the operation from Jun 6-13, the DNCC staff inspected 107,628 houses, establishments, under-construction structures and found Aedes larvae in 1,269 of them. Mosquito breeding grounds in 74,309 of those places were discovered.
Nine entomologists from DGHS accompanied the DNCC staff during their inspection, said Gen Mominur Rahman Mamun, Chief Health Officer at DNCC.
The entomologists mostly visited houses suspected of containing the Aedes larvae. Therefore, the presence of larvae is higher in comparison to the number of houses inspected, he said.
Aedes larvae are mostly found in under-construction structures and vacant houses, said Mamun.
“Most construction works have been halted and many people have left their homes due to the Covid-19 crisis. A higher number of mosquitoes were found in those places.”
The authorities must not be complacent since the prevalence of mosquitoes is lower than last year, said the chief health officer.
“June, July and August are critical periods. We cannot sit back and relax as the mosquito menace can shoot up at any time. We are stringently carrying on with our mosquito killing programme.”
Bangladesh experienced a massive dengue outbreak last year. The government confirmed that dengue had claimed the lives of 164 people last year while 101,354 were hospitalised with dengue in the country.
Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) is fighting to demean dengue outbreak that devastated the city dwellers last year. It is again lurking with the gradual rise in its infection rate during the ongoing pre-monsoon period.
Experts also warned that the capital city may witness even a worse outbreak of aedes mosquito-borne dengue this year than the last year as the presence of such virus carrying blood-sucking insects is very high in the early days of spring.
Two recent surveys– one by the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) and another by a team of researchers from Jahangirnagar University– found aedes mosquito larvae at an alarming level at different wards of Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) and Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC).
The Breteau Index of aedes mosquito was 20-30 points at many wards of the two city corporations, which is very alarming.
However, the DNCC tries to control dengue outbreak as its Mayor promises best effort to fight against dengue.
Commencing his duties as mayor of the DNCC, for a second term, Atiqul Islam pledged to deploy his best efforts in the battles against Covid-19 and dengue simuttancely.
The DNCC has also launched free dengue tests from May 11.
“Mobile courts has started operation from May 10 and drives have been conducted from May 16 at buildings under the city corporation,” said a DNCC official.
A 10-day cleaning programme has started from May 16 to destroy mosquito breeding grounds, he said.
Experts have urged the city corporation to take strong measures to combat the dengue fever this year while calling on the citizens to stay alert.
A total of 311 dengue cases were registered across Bangladesh until June 13, according to the DGHS. Dhaka is the epicentre of the outbreak with 243 cases. Three patients are currently receiving treatment in hospitals while 308 have been discharged.
Many dengue patients are receiving care at home as the hospitals are currently flooded with Covid-19 patients.
National Malaria Elimination and Aedes Transmitted Disease Control Programme under the DGHS conducted a pre-season survey in March, followed by an inspection of the DNCC areas from June 6-13.
The DNCC is yet to make any significant move regarding the matter.
Entomologists found Aedes mosquito larvae in 341 of 1,611 houses in neighbourhoods under DNCC jurisdiction.
The primary information was needed to find out the house index and Breteau index score, said Dr Afsana Alamgir Khan, Deputy Programme Manager of National Malaria Elimination and Aedes Transmitted Disease Control Programme.
Once the index is calculated, the real picture of the presence of Aedes mosquitoes in DNCC neighbourhoods will emerge, Afsana said, adding the prevalence of Aedes mosquitoes in DNCC neighbourhoods was ‘alarming.’
“We found the larvae mostly inside houses. Mosquitoes are breeding in puddles and stagnant water found in holes or paper boxes on sun shades.”
The information gathered by the national malaria elimination programme indicates the high presence of Aedes mosquitoes in Dhaka, said Kabirul Bashar, a Professor of Zoology at Jahangirnagar University.
“The rainfall has already started this season and has provided ample breeding ground for the mosquitoes. Usually, the density of mosquito population starts increasing in June and reaches its peak in July. Therefore, the number of dengue patients tends to rise in August.”
The city corporation must adopt effective measures to curb the mosquito menace while people should be made aware of the issue, he said.
“Citizens must the presence of stagnant water inside or around their houses which can serve as a mosquito breeding ground.”
The DNCC conducted a combing operation to kill mosquitoes in five of its areas from May 16-20 and found Aedes larvae in 187 of the 9,463 houses inspected.
In the second phase of the operation from Jun 6-13, the DNCC staff inspected 107,628 houses, establishments, under-construction structures and found Aedes larvae in 1,269 of them. Mosquito breeding grounds in 74,309 of those places were discovered.
Nine entomologists from DGHS accompanied the DNCC staff during their inspection, said Gen Mominur Rahman Mamun, Chief Health Officer at DNCC.
The entomologists mostly visited houses suspected of containing the Aedes larvae. Therefore, the presence of larvae is higher in comparison to the number of houses inspected, he said.
Aedes larvae are mostly found in under-construction structures and vacant houses, said Mamun.
“Most construction works have been halted and many people have left their homes due to the Covid-19 crisis. A higher number of mosquitoes were found in those places.”
The authorities must not be complacent since the prevalence of mosquitoes is lower than last year, said the chief health officer.
“June, July and August are critical periods. We cannot sit back and relax as the mosquito menace can shoot up at any time. We are stringently carrying on with our mosquito killing programme.”
Bangladesh experienced a massive dengue outbreak last year. The government confirmed that dengue had claimed the lives of 164 people last year while 101,354 were hospitalised with dengue in the country.
