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A government survey has revealed that the Aedes mosquito population, known carriers of the dengue virus, has grown in two and a half months in Dhaka.
The study was carried out across 99 wards in Dhaka from August 23 to September 3.
The surveyors inspected 40 wards of Dhaka North City Corporation and 59 wards of Dhaka South City Corporation as part of the National Malaria Elimination and Aedes Transmitted Diseases Control Programme under the Directorate General of Health Services, reports bdnews24.com.
Comparing this recent study to a previous one conducted from Jun 18-25, it was found that the mosquito population in the capital has continued to increase.
In the recent survey, larvae were found in 23.52 per cent of the 1,335 houses inspected in DNCC, an increase from 20.04 per cent in June.
In DSCC, they found larvae in 18.90 per cent of the 1,815 houses surveyed, compared to 15.47 per cent in June.
In the recent survey, the Breteau Index or BI of Aedes mosquitoes in DNCC wards was 28.91, up from 25.52 in June.
In DSCC wards, the BI was 25.29 in the recent survey, which was an increase from 20.98 in June, according to DGHS's report on Friday.
The mosquito density is chiefly measured using the BI, which counts the number of positive containers per 100 places inspected. BI exceeding 20 per cent is risky, according to experts.
However, there are now fewer wards with a BI above 20 in the recent survey.
In DNCC, there are 10 such wards, and in DSCC, there are 24.
This is a decrease from the previous survey, where DNCC had 27 wards, and DSCC had 29 wards with a BI above 20.
Bangladesh is currently facing an alarming outbreak of dengue. The Aedes mosquito-borne disease continued spreading despite efforts by Dhaka's two city corporations to control the mosquitoes.
Kabirul Bashar, an entomologist and zoology professor at Jahangirnagar University, pointed out several factors contributing to the ongoing mosquito problem.
Firstly, intermittent rain during this period provides a conducive environment for mosquito breeding, he told bdnews24.com.
“The survey identified the highest mosquito presence in flooded areas, especially indoors where it's challenging for the city corporation to gain access. Therefore, active community involvement is crucial in addressing this issue.”
Secondly, he stressed the importance of evaluating the effectiveness of the city corporation's mosquito control efforts, noting that they may not be as extensive as they claim.