No report of high risk mosquito breeding spots in MBKS areas — Mayor

KUCHING: There is no official report of high risk mosquito breeding spots in Kuching South City Council ( MBKS) areas.

Kuching South mayor Datuk James Chan, however, said breeding grounds can be anywhere if residents do not bother, are lazy or refuse to cooperate with the council to keep their house compound and surrounding areas clean.

“In other words, it is everybody’s effort and fight on prevention of such mosquito breeding places for their own good and to protect themselves, their families, neighbours and others.

“Overall, MBKS areas are generally clean, and this can be related to the low dengue cases reported in 2018, but then again depending on human being habits,” said Chan when asked if any dengue cases had been detected in areas under MBKS.

He pointed out that MBKS has its own methods, and one of the most important strategies used is Dengue Surveillance System ( SDS) covering all areas of MBKS.

“Surveillances are carried out daily covering specific areas. The council strongly stresses that prevention is better than cure.

“Apart from that, we carry out health education through leaflets which is carried out throughout the year, as MBKS believes public cooperation, awareness and education are essential and the only way to move on is to ensure a safer Kuching from any diseases besides dengue,” he said.

He also said that close cooperation and communication with the Medical Department is essential, as they are the main agency controlling all diseases including dengue.

However, he said currently MBKS would not take any legal action on any party for noncompliance with the directive on preventing mosquitoes from breeding.

“MBKS as people’s council would prefer people’s initiative and cooperation in keeping their own places clean not for others but their own health and protection from contracting mosquito-linked diseases,” he said.

However, Chan said there are provisions under the Destruction of Disease Bearing Insect Act 1975 ( DDBIA 1975) for non- compliance cases.

Meanwhile, the project site of Sarawak Museum Campus & Heritage at Jalan Tun Abang Haji Openg here was recently declared a dengue outbreak area.

On this, Datuk Bandar of Kuching North City Commission ( DBKU) Datuk Abang Wahap Abang Julai said they were working with the Health Department on this matter by using the Search and Destroy Method, including fogging.

He said when DBKU carried checks at the project site it was found that the area had many spots of stagnant water.

“What we did was something like the military action. We call it mopping up operations, whereby we do fogging at a radius of 200 metres from the affected place.

“The effect of fogging only lasts two to three days, and that is not enough. We will tell the owners of houses or premises to clean up, to avoid the mosquitoes from breeding at their places,” he said.

He added that Aedes mosquitoes can only survive two weeks but if they breed before the fogging they could multiply.

“After the mopping operations, we will continue to oversee the areas at least once a week, to make sure the places are clean, no stagnant waters,” he said.

Abang Wahap disclosed that DBKU had identified eight dengue-prone areas under its jurisdiction, among them Carpenter Street, India Street and near Kampung Goebilt area in Demak Laut.