ZAMBOANGA City Health Officer Dulce Amor Miravite strongly encouraged the search and destroy component of its anti-dengue advocacies to rid mosquitoes of the opportunity to lay eggs.
Miravite said houses and schools must focus on ridding their places of all possible breeding sites as one adult mosquito can lay 200 to 400 eggs.
“They grow exponentially, that’s why we really have to control their population. Kung walang breeding sites, wala silang panglalagyan ng eggs,” Miravite said.
She said residents at home and schools must be conscious of the areas that can be a breeding sites and practice vigilance in keeping these clear and dry.
She said these places can include gutters, tires, tin cans, and even plants.
She said that schools, in particular, must also keep a close eye on their environment given that classes are ongoing.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the aedes aegypti, the vector for dengue, is a daytime feeder most active during daylight.
Its peak biting periods are in the early morning and in the evening before dusk.
Miravite said they do not encourage fumigation on its own, noting that it must always be coupled with search and destroy activities. (SunStar Philippines)