Govt Gears Up Release of Wolbachia Mosquitoes in West Jakarta to Control Dengue Fever Cases
Translator
Editor
10 June 2024 11:19 WIB
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Jakarta Provincial Government is gearing up to release Aedes aegypti mosquitoes containing Wolbachia in West Jakarta. According to the plan, the Wolbachia mosquitoes will be released for the first time in Kembangan District, West Jakarta.
"We haven't started yet, we’re still preparing. If everyone is ready, including the residents, then we will release the mosquitoes," said the Head of the DKI Jakarta Health Service Ani Ruspitawati in Jakarta, on Sunday, June 9, 2024.
Wolbachia is a bacteria found in 60 percent of insects such as fruit flies and bees. In Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, this bacteria is proven to reduce the transmission of various viruses including dengue fever.
According to the Ministry of Health, Wolbachia in the body of the Aedes aegypti mosquito can reduce the replication of the dengue virus, thereby reducing the mosquito's ability to transmit dengue fever. Thus, releasing the Wolbachia mosquitoes is part of the government’s effort to control dengue fever cases in Jakarta, which reached 2,900 cases in May.
She also urged the public to help protect the environment by periodically checking the presence of mosquito larvae or mosquito nests. "Protecting the environment is everyone's responsibility to ensure that it doesn’t become a breeding ground for the Aedes aeygpti mosquito," she said.
Jakarta's government has implemented various efforts to prevent the transmission of dengue fever, including sanctioning those who fail to implement the mosquito nest eradication program or 3M Plus. The maximum sanction includes two months in prison and a Rp50 million fine.
However, Acting Governor Heru Budi Hartono denied that the government would immediately apply the maximum punishment for those who violated the 3M Plus policy. “It’s a mere suggestion for the residents to care about dengue fever. It is the citizens’ duty to ensure their home environment is healthy,” he said.
ANTARA
Editor’s Choice: Fire at Denpasar LPG Warehouse Leaves 18 People in Intensive Care, Bali Police Say
Click here to get the latest news updates from Tempo on Google News
