A report issued by Jeddah Mayoralty based on results of experiments carried out by the Entomology Laboratory showed a considerable rise in the density of mosquito larvae during the current month. The report attributed this increase to the appearance of new mosquito breeding grounds in housing complexes and unoccupied houses. The report said that 32,000 housing units have been inspected as part of the anti-dengue campaign which represents an increase of 11,000 units as compared to the previous month. The prevention teams also visited 162 schools and sprayed 9,120 sites, including buildings under construction, parks and block factories. In a related development, Dr. Abdul Ghaffar Azhari, Assistant Deputy Mayor for Services and Director of the General Administration for Combating Insects and Preventive Health in the mayoralty, said that the anti-dengue campaign is employing a systematic and integrated method that is characterized by a high degree of safety and effectiveness in controlling the breeding grounds of disease-carrying mosquitoes using both chemical and non-chemical methods. He added that the mayoralty is preparing to monitor open swamps through the use of satellite imagery. Swamps will be drained by pumping out stagnant water or they will be sprayed with insecticides or filled with soil in order to prevent mosquitoes from breeding. He pointed out that to date 286 swamps have been filled with soil and 1,218 swamps have been drained.
