Six cases of dengue were detected in the Payyannikal-Kattakal region here on Tuesday, and substantial presence of Aedes egypti mosquitoes that transmit the disease-causing flavivirus was found in that area, senior biologist at district vector control unit S. Vinod said.
Water in a well that is being dug and also which is stored in various types of containers without lids was found to have served as breeding ground for the mosquitoes, he said.
“We found that in these areas, water is supplied only on alternate days. People store water without closing the containers.
The larvae become mosquitoes after seven days, within which the water must be drained completely to kill them. But, instead of draining whatever is left in the drum, residents do a top-up by pouring the freshly supplied water into these containers. The result is the larvae survive in these,” he explained.
Vector control has become a tough task because of urbanisation without risk-free environment, he said.
Residential areas come up without running water facility and this forces people to use all kinds of containers for storage.
“Since 2009, the density of Aedes egypti mosquito has only been increasing because of this problem, and also the inability of the public to eliminate breeding sources such as discarded tyres and other materials that can hold water,” he said.
