More than just providing interventions for the thousands of people who are sick with dengue in the wake of the Department of Health’s recent declaration of a national alert on the disease, the Philippine Red Cross (PRC), headed by Senator Dick Gordon, is set to launch a clean-up campaign to stem the further spread of the disease.
This after Gordon, PRC chairman, sent a memorandum directing all PRC chapters nationwide to organize Red Cross 143 groups on the ground to conduct clean-up campaigns to destroy breeding sites of dengue carrying mosquitos such as stagnant clean water that can be found in places where these may go unnoticed such as canals, flower vases, old tires, construction debris, uncollected garbage, and gutters, among others.
“This is a continuation of our efforts against dengue. The PRC has provided tents to decongest hospitals that are overflowinng with patients and blood products have also been deployed to areas in need. But the DOH’s recent declaration of a national alert and the activation of the NDRRC warrant increased vigilance in response to the increasing number of those who have fallen ill,” the veteran legislator said.
The DOH has recorded 115,986 dengue cases from January-July 2019, which is 86% higher than the same time last year.
“The community should work together to destroy the breeding sites of the aedes egypti mosquitos.”
The DOH has recorded 115,986 dengue cases from January-July 2019, which is 86% higher than the same time last year.
The seasoned lawmaker explained that to prevent the further spread of the disease, the community should work together to destroy the breeding sites of the aedes egypti mosquitos, which is the carrier of the dengue virus.
“Chapters are hereby directed to submit their clean-up plans with identification of areas for priority community clean-up. Places for clean-up can be prioritized by tracing where hospitalized patients reside, as the vector mosquitoes may still be alive and actively reproducing. Unlike other infectious diseases that are spread by humans, control of the spread of dengue and prevention of the disease can be achieved by destroying the larvae of the mosquitos.,” the senator said.
“Larva may be killed by pouring salt, vinegar or oil on them.”
The aedes egypti mosquito has a life span of two weeks and usually only flies within a 400 meter radius. It is the female mosquito, a daytime biter, which spreads the disease.
Typically a female mosquito that carries the dengue virus will hover around a house within its two week lifespan, hence the spread of dengue is highly localized.
He advised that the larva of the mosquitoes, when collected, should not be thrown into an open space as these may still survive. Larva may be killed by pouring salt, vinegar or oil on them.