Plans to aerial spray Cuban BTI in Colombo

Nadira Gunatilleke

Arrangements have been made to aerial spray Cuban BTI bacteria in Colombo city limits in the last week of October (next month) as a pilot project, Health Ministry spokesman said.

According to the spokesman, Cuban BTI bacteria will be sprayed from the air in Colombo using Air Force aircraft. Dengue is rapidly increasing with the ongoing rains. Health Minister Maithripala Sirisena held discussions yesterday with the Cuban ambassador Nizrin Castro to obtain the BTI bacteria from Cuba as soon as possible.

"Dengue in Colombo spreads rapidly due to the large number of high rise buildings with concrete slabs and half built buildings with concrete slabs on the top of them.

"Gutters are the other main problem. Nobody can reach them to destroy mosquito breeding sites located in blocked areas. The BTI bacteria will be sprayed from the air to solve this problem," the spokesman said.

"Cuba eradicated dengue by using BTI bacteria. In Sri Lanka, over 24,500 dengue cases had been reported from all parts of the country by yesterday. This figure stood at 16,600 by the end of June. The number of dengue deaths reported this year is 83. The Western Province recorded around 56 per cent of the total number of dengue cases reported from the country every month," he added.