World Malaria Day: Over 27k houses in Indore checked in four months, larva found in 599 houses

Indore (Madhya Pradesh): While citizens are facing sleepless nights due to the ongoing mosquito menace, health department officials heaved a sigh of relief as there is no case of malaria or dengue found in this year, so far.

On the eve of World Malaria Day, city officials claimed they are running an intense anti-larva drive in the city which helps them in preventing the vector borne diseases.

“Malaria is a vector borne disease and World Malaria Day is observed every year on April 25 to spread awareness about the prevention and control of the disease,” district malaria officer Dr Daulat Patel said.

He added that there team has surveyed over 27,000 houses from January to April, this year and found larva at 599 houses.

“Along with eliminating the larva from these houses, we have also spread awareness against the disease and asked people to opt ways to prevent the vector generation,” Dr Patel said. Sharing the data of anti-larva drive of 2022, the malaria officer said that over 1.26 lakh containers were checked and larva was found in 606 houses.

Dr Patel also added that they will launch awareness drive along with flagging off a ‘Rath’ on Tuesday to observe the malaria day.

Meanwhile, the officials expressed concern over rise in the density of mosquitoes in the city and blamed the fluctuating temperature which makes conditions favourable for the vectors to multiply.

“Frequent fluctuation in weather along with a rise in humidity has made conditions favourable for mosquitoes to breed. The city is going through a weather transition with a rise in temperature, rainfall, and humidity causing an increase in density of mosquitoes. However, these are Culex mosquitoes which are prevalent in this season. Culex mosquitoes do not transmit dengue or malaria, but bite and breed in stagnant water of nullahs and creeks,” he added.