Preventing future dengue outbreaks
In 2019, Bangladesh suffered from a devastating dengue outbreak. On September 8, The Daily Star reported that according to official statistics, 75,753 people were hospitalised with the disease since the beginning of the year.
After comparing the situation in Bangladesh with that of Malaysia and Singapore, we identified 3 major reasons for the outbreak. They are poor waste management, targeting the wrong stage of the mosquito life cycle and lack of education and awareness about hygiene.
Firstly, the throwing away of raw, solid waste in drains, canals and open spaces must stop. In 2018 and 2019, waste management problems created the dengue outbreak in Malaysia. Separating burnable and non-burnable garbage, packing them securely and throwing them in appropriate garbage boxes is a short-term, effective way to manage waste.
Secondly, targeting the larvae of Aedes mosquitoes, instead of adult mosquitoes, is a proven way of preventing the spread of dengue. In Singapore, larvicide was used in 2014 for this purpose and the number of dengue cases fell by 40 percent compared to previous year.
Finally, educating the young generation about health, hygiene, recycling and waste management is a long-term plan to prevent dengue and many other diseases.
Y Kitano, TY Yap, M Kurosawa and S Kabir
Tokyo Institute of Technology, Tokyo, Japan
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