EPA to clean up vector-breeding site to eliminate dengue epidemic

To control the severe dengue epidemic, the Environmental Protection Administration (EPA) said the first priority is to locate diagnosed patients and eliminate virus-carrying mosquitoes, the vectors of Dengue fever, and called on all people to clean up mosquito breeding sites. When old buildings belong to the public sector and private homes are found "raising mosquitoes" by inspectors will be penalized according to law.

There has been a serious outbreak of native Dengue fever this year with more than 1,000 confirmed cases since August 2010, more than the reported cases last year. Although the ongoing dengue epidemic has been slowed slightly, close observation is still required in the next two weeks, according to the latest information published by the Central Epidemic Command Center for Dengue Epidemic.

Director Chien-huei Lin of the EPA Department of Environmental Sanitation & Toxic Substance Management said in an interview that to prevent and control dengue fever the most important is the two-pronged strategy of "locating diagnosed patients" and "reducing the vector mosquitoes."

Mobilization for dengue prevention and control are divided into four levels: Level 1 is mobilizing the public to clean up their home environment; Level 2 is for local environmental protection departments and health departments to check whether vector-breeding sites are cleaned up; Level 3 is for the EPA and the Department of Health under the Executive Yuan to send inspectors for the check; and Level 4 is personal inspections by EPA Minister and Minister of Health, noted Lin.

Lin added that if a patient can be located soon enough and given treatment immediately, mosquitoes will not transmit the dengue virus which causes dengue fever after biting the patient. And when a patient is found, the EPA will spray disinfectant around the patient's residence to clear potential vectors of the disease and recommend the patient to use mosquito net to protect against mosquitoes when sleeping.

To clean up vector-breeding sites will prevent mosquitoes from transmitting the dengue virus, so cleaning our living environment is very important, said Lin. The public have to drain water containers including pan under the refrigerator, washing machine and plant basin, clean them regularly, and keep them dry to prevent mosquitoes from breeding.

Many abandoned old buildings of the public sector have become vector-breeding sites because of roof leaking or water accumulated in the basement. The Executive Yuan has ordered all government agencies to clean up all old buildings under their jurisdiction immediately and report back. There are maybe more than ten thousand of such buildings throughout Taiwan, according to preliminary estimates.

If an old building of the public sector is found "breeding mosquitoes," the EPA will fine its managing agency and the maximum fine will be imposed if the agency does not conform to related regulations, noted Lin. If punished according to the Waste Disposal Act, the violator may be fined NT$1,200 up to NT$6,000 and the violating public office will be fined NT$6,000.

Prof. Err-Lieh Hsu of the National Taiwan University Department of Entomology said clear vector-breeding sites is the only way to eliminate dengue epidemic. However, not all vector-breeding sites can be cleaned up because water accumulated in a hole in tree trunk, the narrow space between two houses, or a blocked drain in the eaves can be neglected easily and becomes a mosquito-breeding site.

In addition to cleaning up the environment, Prof. Hsu said the larvae of mosquitoes and adult mosquitoes have to be killed. And proper use of such biological, non-toxic agents as insect growth regulator and microbial pesticide can kill the larvae of mosquitoes while not harming human beings or animals.

Moreover, Hsu noted that as long as a dengue fever case is confirmed, the neighborhood must be sprayed with pesticide to kill the vector mosquito which can not fly far away after bloodsucking. Therefore, pesticide must be sprayed in the patient's neighborhood to prevent the spread of dengue epidemic.