Combating the new dengue strain

According to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), the number of people affected by dengue has hit 9,531, the highest in 18 years with 24 casualties so far this year. Health practitioners tell us that what is new this year is that dengue-infected children are not just from the city, but are coming from out of Dhaka. That means the dengue virus has evolved a new strain. Until last year, most patients were diagnosed with Den-1 and Den-2, this year we have the Den-3 strain. The problem with the Aedes egg of course is its ability to remain active for about 2-3 years in a dry place and that it can hatch if it comes into contact with a single drop of water.

While Dhaka South City Corporation claims to have destroyed 50,000 risky containers, that effort is a spit in the ocean when we consider the population of Dhaka city. And now that disease has spread beyond the periphery of the city, the dangers have multiplied significantly. It is obvious that much more needs to be done in terms of raising public awareness. Since we know that the Aedes mosquito breeds in clean, stagnant water found in people's homes, city residents need to be rallied into action. They need to regularly check and remove any stagnant water on their premises. The public should also be informed on the steps to take in terms of testing for dengue and getting proper treatment.

Public health campaigns on radio and television form one aspect of the process, but we need to explore other mediums too. These need to involve community leaders and local administration which must organise live demonstrations at every ward about how households and establishments can be kept clear so that the aedes mosquito cannot gain a foothold. Unless we can involve city residents in the clean-up operation on a large scale, we cannot tackle the dengue menace.