The rainy season and light holidays are a warning of the spread of Aedes aegypti

The Goiás government is alerting residents to double care in homes to prevent the formation of breeding sites for Aedes aegypti, the mosquito that transmits the disease.Inge, chikungunya, and Zika 🇧🇷 The increase in vector infection and cases of dengue, chikungunya and Zika virus is a concern, and preventive measures are essential due to the intensifying rainy season and the approaching holidays, when many homes remain closed for long periods.

Health authorities warn residents of the dangers posed by properties left unoccupied for long periods. The Coordinator of Dengue, Chikungunya and Zika Virus of the Goiás State Ministry of Health (SES-GO), Murilo do Carmo, indicates that in closed estates, there is a 60% increase in the number of Aedes outbreaks. Residents are advised to conduct a thorough home inspection and remove any and all possibilities of breeding before continuing their trip.

Among the measures to prevent large-scale mosquito breeding are closing the water tank, collecting and storing garbage in the backyard, and covering the tank and all water tanks. Murilo do Carmo asserts that the Aedes aegypti mosquito has the ability to breed in the most exotic places. A refrigerator defrost container is a very common place for carrier breeding. “When traveling, even for a few days, people have to clean that cabin,” he says.

Yard cleaning

The same care must be taken with potted plants, toilets, humidifier water tanks, bathroom drains, and kitchen and bathroom traps. All of these places, which are often overlooked by residents, are potential breeding sites for mosquitoes due to the fact that they accumulate water, even if in small quantities. The vector egg, upon contact with standing water, takes an average of seven days to develop into an adult mosquito.

The backyards of the residences also deserve a lot of attention. It should be kept clean, without anything in which water could accumulate. Murilo do Carmo asserts that seemingly harmless items, such as bottle caps, small cans and plastic cups, become, in a short time, favorable environments for insect breeding. Finally, it confirms that the work of the citizen inside his home is the decisive factor to confront, reduce and avoid Aedes aegypti, which is a dangerous vector of diseases.

investments

In addition to encouraging residents to develop measures to prevent mosquito breeding sites from appearing in homes, the Goiás government has made a series of investments throughout this year with the goal of procuring equipment and distributing inputs throughout the state. Front-line professionals have also been trained, both in mosquito control and in caring for arbovirus victims.

Highlights include the acquisition of vehicle, ultra-low volume (UBV), and knapsack pumps. In 2022, 20 UBV pumps and 200 portable pumps were purchased with state resources. UBV pumps, along with vehicles, are used for spraying that kills adult mosquitoes. Of the 20 UBVs, 16 have been distributed to state health districts for use in municipalities under their jurisdiction. Four remain at the UBV State Center as a technical reserve, for emergency work.

In addition to the new equipment, SES-GO has another 60 old UBVs, but in ideal conditions of use. As Edna Maria Covem, Director of Environmental Monitoring and Occupational Health at the Health Monitoring Supervisory Authority, explains, pumps with technical standards for health and environmental protection are used to eliminate adult mosquitoes in large areas of the city.

The 200 coastal pumps join another 500 in use by municipalities. New materials are progressively used to replace old equipment that is faulty or deemed unusable. Coastal pumps are of great public health importance, and are used manually to eradicate infestations of the Aedes aegypti mosquito. It is used in points that are strategic, such as rubber shops, flower shops, junkyards, cemeteries and other favorite breeding places for female mosquitoes.

exercise

This year, 26 events have resulted in the training of 2,381 technicians—community health agents, endemic disease control agents, health surveillance inspectors, chemical control technicians and UBV pump operators—who are working on the front lines in the fight against dengue. Professionals working in the field of assistance, in the care of victims of diseases caused by Aedes aegypti, seminars for professional updating were also contemplated.

During the year, eight virtual training courses on qualification in clinical management of arboviruses were held, through the Zoom platform. Each of these seminars brought together about 250 participants, including physicians and nurses from the Family Health Strategy Program. By implementing these training courses, SES-GO aims to qualify professionals across the state in clinical management, in an effort to reduce the risk of death from diseases caused by Aedes aegypti.

Precautions to be taken

The most effective form of prevention is control of the Aedes aegypti mosquito. Here are the measures that residents should adopt, at least once a week:

• Check if the water tank is covered well

• Leave litter boxes tightly covered

• Putting sand in plant dishes

• Collect and pack rubbish in the backyard

• Gutter cleaning

Covering swimming pools

• Cover drains and lower toilet lids

• Clean the outer drawer of the refrigerator

• Clean and store pet dishes

• Clean the water collection tray of the air conditioner

• Cover the tank well

• Cover all water tanks well

• Cleaning is not limited to homes: it is important to be aware of potential sources of standing water at school, at work, and in other places frequented every day.

• In the event of closed or abandoned property and suspected established breeding sites, report:

Disque-Denuncia Suvisa / SES / GO: 150 or 62 3201-3523 or by email [email protected]