Municipality to continue inspections in Bausher area
“In some cases, it is necessary to enter houses in order to facilitate the investigation and disposal of mosquito breeding grounds,” he added.
Ministry of Health in cooperation with Muscat Municipality will continue survey inspection on the mosquitoes in Bausher. It will cover Azaiba, Ghala, South and North Al Khuwair areas today.
The search comes after the Ministry of Health announced that a case of dengue was recorded in the Sultanate. The field investigation began on Thursday and the ministry divided the wilayat of Seeb into blocks
According to the ministry’s statement, the Aedes aegypti mosquito transmits dengue, yellow fever, the Zika virus, and other viral diseases.
The ministry has advised the public on ways they can avoid mosquito bites, such as wearing longsleeved, body-covering clothes; using mosquito-repelling ointments on exposed parts of the body; closing windows with a mesh to protect themselves against mosquitoes; and spraying households with insecticides.
The ministry also advised the public on ways to eliminate mosquito breeding grounds, such as discarding water that is stored every five days and cleaning tanks, disposing of water collected from air conditioners and changing the water of fans and other places where it gets accumulated.
People should also change the water in animal and bird drinking containers and clean the bowls before refilling them every five days, cover water reservoirs, dispose of used tyres, and ensure the disposal of empty dye cans and damaged utensils.
Both the World Health Organisation and the US Centre for Disease Control also have advisories on how to prevent dengue.
“Insecticide-treated mosquito nets afford good protection to those who sleep during the day (e.g. infants, the bedridden and night-shift workers),” said the WHO advisory. “Where indoor biting occurs, household insecticide aerosol products, mosquito coils or other insecticide vaporisers may also reduce biting activity. Household fixtures such as window and door screens and air-conditioning can also reduce biting.”
The CDC added, “See a doctor or healthcare provider four-six weeks before your trip to get any prescriptions, shots, and information you may need to stay healthy while you travel,” added the Centre for Disease Control’s Division of Parasitic Diseases and Malaria, which is part of the Centre for Global Health. “Even if your trip is sooner, see a doctor to be safe.”