Editorial: Rains are here, so are the mosquitoes

THE rainy season is here. That is indeed a reason to rejoice after that long hot summer. But that also means that mosquitoes will also be out in greater numbers.

Thus, there is nothing like a seasonal reminder to all and sundry. Mosquitoes carry diseases like dengue, and dengue kills. Worse, dengue kills mostly children because they are most prone to mosquitoes since they do have to play around and we should be hiding them indoors, and they have lesser resistance than adults.

Those who have survived dengue – and their family – know the harrowing experience of seeing a person’s red blood cell count drop fast with nothing in store at the blood bank. Those who haven’t have parents and siblings who until now are suffering from the loss full of if-only’s.

First, as had always been said and repeated: Clean up. Mosquitoes breed in damp and dark surroundings. Air all those spaces, check all those areas that gather stagnant water, and clean up.

Then there’s the do-it-yourself mosquito trap that won Maynilad Water Services Inc. three awards from the 60th Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity in France for the advertisements it produced for its Dengue Bottle project.

How is it done?

Get a 1.5-liter PET bottle, softdrinks or mineral water, cut the top part where the neck joins the body to make a funnel.

The bottom part will be the container. In the container, mix one cup of water with brown sugar and yeast. Put the top part (as a funnel) into the container and secure it at the container’s lip with a tape or anything that will keep it in place. Wrap the container with something black since mosquitoes are attracted to the color black. Leave them in areas where there are mosquitoes.

The mixture of water, brown sugar, and yeast emits carbon dioxide that attracts mosquitoes. Since they enter through a funnel, they will find it difficult to get out. Maynilad said the bottle can kill hundreds of mosquitoes in two weeks before requiring replacement.

That said, let’s start gathering those PET bottles.

As we all know, prevention is always better that a cure.

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