Clean environment only way of curbing dengue - Maithripala

The use of bacteria species to prevent the spread of dengue epidemic had not been effective and had not shown successful results, Health Minister Maithripala Sirisena said in Parliament yesterday.

The minister said that the only effective mechanism to curb the dengue epidemic is maintaining a clean environment.

He said that the 10,000 units of imported BTI bacteria from Cuba were used in Kandy as a pilot project, but failed to gain successful results.

The minister said that a locally developed bacteria species and another bacterial species imported from USA by a private company were also tested without successful results.

Sirisena said that the strength of bacteria species only lasts for two weeks and thereafter dengue rises its head once again.

The minister said that the only option to curb dengue is by regular cleaning the environment to prevent mosquito breeding sites.

Sirisena said that the Presidential Task Force established in May last year to arrest the dengue epidemic had helped control the spread of dengue and thereby reduce the number of dengue patients and deaths.

He said that the ministry declared a dengue prevention week once in every three months to control the spread of dengue.

He said that from 2006 to November 2011, 118,108 dengue patients had been reported in the island with 851 deaths.

He said that 22,926 dengue cases had been reported in the island with 163 deaths this year upto November 2011. The minister was replying to a question raised by DNA MP Anura Dissanayake.