KUALA LUMPUR: Dengue hotspots saw a decrease in cases by up to 100% six years after the release of Wolbachia-infected mosquitoes, says the Health Ministry.
It said there were 51 operational localities for the bacteria-infected Aedes mosquito release programme, 28 of which had met the criteria for assessment.
Of these 28 localities, 25 (89%) recorded encouraging reductions in dengue cases ranging from 22% to 100%, the ministry said in a parliamentary written reply dated Tuesday (Jan 27).
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It said the remaining 23 localities were still under a two-year monitoring period before further evaluation will be conducted.
The localities involved include 14 in Selangor, 10 in Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya, seven in Johor, six in Penang, five in Melaka, and three each in Kelantan, Pahang and Negri Sembilan.
The ministry said it would continue to monitor and assess the programme's effectiveness in these localities to ensure long-term public health safety.
"This includes entomological surveillance through monitoring the presence and stability of Wolbachia within mosquito populations at the localities, as well as assessing mosquito fitness levels and morphology prior to release.
"Weekly monitoring of dengue case incidence in the tested localities will also continue along with periodic assessment of environmental cleanliness and the presence of breeding sites," it added.
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The ministry also said it was planning to conduct a comprehensive evaluation, including environmental impact studies, in collaboration with independent parties early this year.
"These studies will form part of continuous improvement efforts to ensure the effectiveness, safety and sustainability of the programme’s implementation," it said.
Mohd Hasnizan Harun (PN-Hulu Selangor) wanted to know about plans for a comprehensive environmental impact and public health study related to the Wolbachia-infected Aedes mosquito release programme.
Wolbachia inhibits mosquitoes' ability to naturally transmit viruses like dengue, Zika and chikungunya. It blocks virus growth within infected insects and reduces mosquito populations by yielding eggs that fail to hatch.
