Mapping Dengue Hotspots Can Prevent Future Outbreaks: Experts

A research published by Lancey Planetary Health, led by Gonzalo Vazquez-Prokopec, associate professor in Emory University's Department of Environmental Sciences says that identifying hot spots of dengue can help in preparing a predictive map for future outbreaks of Zika and Chikungunya. The study states that all the three viral diseases are spread by the Aedes aegypti. As the number of these infections are rising, public health Officials from Bangalore are considering this the best way to deal with dengue and other related infections.

According to a Senior Public Health expert the study conducted in Mexico gives out a risk stratification method to prevent and control the spread of diseases caused by Aedes aegypti. This will aid the public health officials in research and preparation for the emerging Aedes-borne diseases. He said that the method can also be beneficial while predicting the whereabouts of the concentration of cases, reported The New Indian Express.

Measures To Prevent Dengue

Dengue is usually controlled by outdoor spraying that covers broad swaths of a city but evidences suggests that Aedes aegypti has adapted to live indoors. Reports by Vazquez-Prokopec and collaborators shows some measures which can be used against the disease, like Targeted Indoor Residual Spraying which means spraying a long lasting pesticide indoors- on the ceilings, along the bases of walls and other areas of homes.

Dengue And COVID-19

Dr. Sudhir Krishna of the National Centre for Biological Sciences has been researching about dengue and other viruses for a while now and he says that COVID-19 has become the centre of attraction due to which people have shifted their focus from dengue. He suggested that in Brazil, areas which had zero dengue cases reported lower patterns of COVID-19. Symptoms of COVID-19 and dengue are quite similar and confuses the patient to identify the disease. Hence, people should be cautious and watch for symptoms of dengue to prevent the spread of the disease as monsoon arrives.

As per the statistics, cases of dengue have been witnessing a decline in the past few years. Karnataka reported 813 dengue cases till May 11, 2021 compared to 17,844 dengue cases with 10 deaths in 2017, 4,848 cases and 4 deaths in 2018 and 18,183 cases and 17 deaths in 2019. The Health and Welfare Department of the state has declared that there have been no severe cases of dengue and no deaths have been reported for the same in 2021 so far.

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