The explosion of cases of Covid-19 in almost all of the national territory has crowded hospitals and emergency care units, which are working at their maximum capacity.
The arrival of summer heightens this tension even further. The hottest season of the year is also known for the intense spread of mosquito-borne viruses. Aedes aegypti, such as dengue, Zika and chikungunya.
Another point of concern is that, due to the new coronavirus pandemic, the summer began with the absence of an important epidemiological surveillance data: the Rapid Survey of the Infestation Index by Aedes aegypti, better known as LIRAa.
“In this atypical year, health agents from thousands of cities across the country were unable to carry out periodic inspections of homes to check the Aedes infestation rate, fundamental data to support the definition of public policy strategies to combat arbovirals”, explains Denise Valle, a researcher at the Flavivirus Molecular Biology Laboratory at the Oswaldo Cruz Institute (IOC/Fioruz).
The combination of high temperatures and rainfall favors an increase in the vector population with a double result: in contact with rainwater, eggs laid weeks or months ago can hatch and give rise to thousands of new mosquitoes. At the same time, with the rains, the supply of breeding sites for female Aedes to lay their eggs increases.
“The greater the number of insects, the greater the chances of transmission of viruses by Aedes. We need to redouble our attention with the arrival of summer”, comments the biologist.
From egg to adult, the Aedes development cycle takes only 7 to 10 days. A simple weekly inspection of houses and public spaces can interrupt this process.
“The action of government officials and the population is fundamental throughout the year. And, especially in the summer, where the rains are constant, this action must be intensified, ”he says.
The main recommendation is to eliminate all containers that accumulate water. When they cannot be discarded, the orientation is that they are properly sealed or even treated.
The entomologist draws attention to the inspection of less conventional breeding grounds, such as rain gutters, external drains, animal bowls, trays for air conditioning and refrigerators, toilets that are deactivated or rarely used, among others. Discover and share 10 minutes booklet against Aedes.
“The female spreads her eggs in different places. We cannot reassure ourselves and end the check if eggs or larvae are already found in the first place. We should be even more alert and check other nearby places”, points out Denise.
“Each female can lay up to 1.500 eggs. It is important to look at the house with 'mosquito eyes', looking for any and all places that accumulate water and can be used for vector reproduction”, concludes the specialist.
The explosion of cases of Covid-19 in almost all of the national territory has crowded hospitals and emergency care units, which are working at their maximum capacity.
The arrival of summer heightens this tension even further. The hottest season of the year is also known for the intense spread of mosquito-borne viruses. Aedes aegypti, such as dengue, Zika and chikungunya.
Another point of concern is that, due to the new coronavirus pandemic, the summer began with the absence of an important epidemiological surveillance data: the Rapid Survey of the Infestation Index by Aedes aegypti, better known as LIRAa.
“In this atypical year, health agents from thousands of cities across the country were unable to carry out periodic inspections of homes to check the Aedes infestation rate, fundamental data to support the definition of public policy strategies to combat arbovirals”, explains Denise Valle, a researcher at the Flavivirus Molecular Biology Laboratory at the Oswaldo Cruz Institute (IOC/Fioruz).
The combination of high temperatures and rainfall favors an increase in the vector population with a double result: in contact with rainwater, eggs laid weeks or months ago can hatch and give rise to thousands of new mosquitoes. At the same time, with the rains, the supply of breeding sites for female Aedes to lay their eggs increases.
“The greater the number of insects, the greater the chances of transmission of viruses by Aedes. We need to redouble our attention with the arrival of summer”, comments the biologist.
From egg to adult, the Aedes development cycle takes only 7 to 10 days. A simple weekly inspection of houses and public spaces can interrupt this process.
“The action of government officials and the population is fundamental throughout the year. And, especially in the summer, where the rains are constant, this action must be intensified, ”he says.
The main recommendation is to eliminate all containers that accumulate water. When they cannot be discarded, the orientation is that they are properly sealed or even treated.
The entomologist draws attention to the inspection of less conventional breeding grounds, such as rain gutters, external drains, animal bowls, trays for air conditioning and refrigerators, toilets that are deactivated or rarely used, among others. Discover and share 10 minutes booklet against Aedes.
“The female spreads her eggs in different places. We cannot reassure ourselves and end the check if eggs or larvae are already found in the first place. We should be even more alert and check other nearby places”, points out Denise.
“Each female can lay up to 1.500 eggs. It is important to look at the house with 'mosquito eyes', looking for any and all places that accumulate water and can be used for vector reproduction”, concludes the specialist.
The non-profit reproduction of the text is allowed as long as the source is cited (Comunicação / Instituto Oswaldo Cruz)
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