Cobalt radiation to defang dengue mosquitoes

Nadira Gunatilleke

Sri Lanka will soon use Cobalt radiation to kill the sting of the dengue mosquito. Austrian entomologists will arrive in Sri Lanka in January to train local staff in this regard, a Health Ministry spokesman said.

The spokesman said the Austrian government agreed to provide technical assistance, machines and knowledge to implement this new mosquito control method in Sri Lanka.

"Several other countries have also extended their support to launch this project. Many countries use this method to control mosquitoes. A small amount of Cobalt radiation is given to male mosquitoes to make them impotent. The mosquito generation will fade away as a result," the spokesman said.

The life span of a mosquito is about one week. It takes around three years to obtain the results of the project. Mosquitoes will be bred in local laboratories to implement the project. They will be given Cobalt radiation and released to the environment. The project will be handled by the National Malaria Control Programme and its Director Dr Sarath Deniyage, he said.