The Health Ministry will resume this month the fieldwork to release ‘Aedes aegypti’ mosquitoes that carry natural ‘Wolbachia’ bacteria to control dengue. The programme was suspended for nearly four months because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
It is being implemented under the World Mosquito Control Programme to prevent dengue, Chikungunya, Sika, and Yellow Fever by releasing ‘Aedes aegypti’ mosquitoes that carry Wolbachia bacteria into the environment. The mosquitoes carrying the bacterium Nobokia will be released at public places using a container - a “Mosquito Box” (Mozzie box).
The mosquito box is provided free to the community and in about two weeks the mosquitoes will hatch and fly from the mosquito box. They will produce a new generation of mosquitoes with the Wolbachia bacterium. These mosquitoes help protect the community from dengue.