Communities urged to properly manage their discards to prevent Dengue in anticipation of the rainy season

With rainy days on the horizon, an environmental organization urged communities to observe proper waste management to help prevent and control dengue outbreaks.

“While community vigilance against the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) must not recede, we urge all barangays to prepare and implement measures against dengue and other typical wet season illnesses,” said Jove Benosa, Zero Waste Campaigner, EcoWaste Coalition.

“As frontliners in the fight against COVID-19 and other dreaded diseases, we expect the barangays, with the support of local public and private sector groups, to actively manage the environmental factors that can cause a surge in dengue cases,” he said.

To demolish all potential breeding spots of Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, the primary vector of the dengue virus, the EcoWaste Coalition reiterated the need for barangay-level “search and destroy” activities before and during the rainy season.

 

“Extra efforts should be exerted to find and remove indoor and outdoor breeding places as the COVID-19 lockdown has disrupted the regular maintenance of schools and other establishments, as well as open spaces,” said Benosa.

The group noted that anything that can hold water, including discarded glass and plastic bottles, tin cans, plastic bags, bottle caps, snack packs and tires, can serve as a breeding ground for dengue virus-carrying Aedes mosquitoes.

For a dengue-free environment, the EcoWaste Coalition encouraged communities to heed these 10-point reminders:

• Don’t let water go stagnant.
• Dispose of, turn over or put in storage any container that may accumulate rain water.
• Cover water buckets, drums, and tanks with lids or mosquitoproof mesh.
• Empty and clean water containers thoroughly once a week.
• Change water in flower vases weekly.
• Clean plant pots that may harbor mosquitoes.
• Drain water from plates under potted plants weekly.
• Clear clogged gutters of leaves and other debris.
• Cut or puncture tires used as roof support to avoid collecting water.
• Keep recyclables dry and clean.

The EcoWaste Coalition, which also espouses urban container gardening, urged families to grow natural repellents such as basil, catnip, citronella grass, garlic, lavender, lemongrass, marigolds, oregano, peppermint, rosemary, sage and other plants that can repel mosquitoes and other insects in and around the house.

Meanwhile, the group warned the public against using household insecticides, including mosquito repellents, that have not been duly evaluated for quality and safety by government regulators as the use of such unregistered products may pose health and environmental risks.*