Browsing: dengue fever

In July and August 2024, the Indonesian Ministry of Health (Kemenkes RI) issued a stark warning about the anticipated surge in dengue fever (DF) cases across the archipelago. This increase is primarily attributed to the prevailing hot weather conditions that have engulfed Indonesia, particularly impacting regions such as Bali and West Java.

Singapore’s Project Wolbachia began as a small-scale project involving the release of male mosquitoes that carry a natural parasite called Wolbachia, which prevents the eggs of female mosquitoes from hatching. This approach led to a dramatic 90% reduction in the A. aegypti mosquito population and a 77% decrease in dengue cases in the targeted areas. The project has been expanding steadily since its inception.

Recently, with a striking increase in dengue cases over the past ten weeks, Singapore’s government has urged for immediate action. In just the past week, the project released a further 350,000 Wolbachia-carrying males in an area and are planning to extend this initiative to four more regions within this first quarter. This means stepping up to produce a whopping 11 million male Wolbachia mosquitoes weekly and coverage from 26% to 35% of all households in Singapore.

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