Dengue - what you must do in your neighborhood

At present, the only method to control or prevent the transmission of dengue virus is to combat vector mosquitoes through: reduction of breeding sites of mosquitoes (barrels, drums, jars, pots, buckets, vases, bottles, tins, tyres, water coolers etc.) by environmental management and proper modification/disposing of solid waste and removing artificial man-made habitats; covering, emptying and cleaning of domestic water storage containers on a weekly basis; applying appropriate insecticides to water storage outdoor containers; using of personal household protection such as window screens, long-sleeved clothes, insecticide treated materials, coils and vaporizers; improving community participation and mobilization for sustained vector control; applying insecticides as space spraying during outbreaks as one of the emergency vector control measures; active monitoring and surveillance of vectors should be carried out to determine effectiveness of control interventions. These efforts should be intensified before the transmission season (during and after the rainy season) and at the time of the epidemic.