Dengue, monsoon and the summer days !

James Khangenbam
Contd from last Saturday
Combating Aedes aegypti and other mosquitoes
Guppies are an army of tiny fishes that eats up mosquito larvae. Letting out guppies at the drainages, ponds and water sources will also help manage mosquito at the larvae stage. For the last three years the State has faced Dengue outbreak and 2026 cannot be ruled out. WHO also approved Temephos, an organophosphate larvicide which is safe for non-targeted organism at a recommended dose. It kills the mosquito at the larvae stage. And could be used in clean and potable water as well but in limited dose which the concern officials in the State would know best. It is used globally with a recommended dose. The dry eggs of the infected Aedes aegypti mosquitoes are waiting for the rain water to fill the broken tyres or abandoned materials where clean water get stored, to hatch and come to life. It is also recommended to disinfect or scrub the walls of the broken tyres left unattended as the mosquito have the habit of laying eggs at the particular site. Besides a coordinated convergence of department in keeping the neighbourhood clean by the municipalities and the health department with aggressive campaign, source reduction, life saving activities would deliver a great deal.
Other than just targeting the Aedes aegypti mosquito, killing all types of mosquitoes at the larvae stage in the urban and semi urban area by spraying Temephos at the drainages will help. When least mosquito flies around or inside the house or in the neighbourhood you are more confident. For it is hard to sort out the aedes Aegypti mosquito from among other mosquitoes. And no task or confusion arises to which type of mosquito or at what time of the day one should kill mosquito.
During 2025 Dengue outbreak, health officials announced in the media that “smogging” does not solve dengue outbreak. While they also published their daily report of conducting smogging or fumigation in killing adult mosquitoes. The conduct confuses the public. A clear, comprehensive and concise knowledge dissemination in controlling dengue outbreak by the authority is a must. The confidence level of the citizens needs to be boosted. Volunteering by the locals will also count. We have organised local clubs for every locality. Creating resource by local representatives and MLAs from the local area development fund will serve best.A stitch in time saves nine.
(The writer is a journalist. The article is written with inputs from the official website of World Health Organisation, the National Vector Borne Diseases Control, New Delhi)