Remove Aedes breeding ground to prevent Zika: Subra

BANGI: The Health Ministry has been proactively taking measures to prevent the breeding of Aedes mosquitoes to eliminate the threat of dengue and the Zika virus.
Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr S. Subramaniam said that the ministry, with the cooperation of other agencies, have been pro-actively taking measures to destroy the vector for both dengue and Zika.
"While dengue can lead to severe illness or death, the Zika virus causes babies to be born deformed," he said after visiting a woman who recovered from dengue at the Seri Cempaka Apartments in Bandar Baru Bangi today.
He noted that aside from using larvicide to destroy the larvae of Aedes mosquitoes in dengue hotspot areas, the ministry's enforcement officers also use residual spray with formulated mixtures to weaken and kill the mosquitoes.
While no Zika cases have been reported in Malaysia, preventive measures have been announced by the Health Ministry to curb the infection from spreading if it arrives at our shores.
Subramaniam pointed out that much more is still needed to be done to reduce the breeding grounds for mosquitoes.
He also added that while it is important to terminate breeding grounds, it is equally important for the public to keep themselves from being bitten by such mosquitoes.
Subramaniam said low-cost flats are prime dengue hotspots in Selangor and said 7,355 of the 15,251 dengue cases reported nationwide between January and Feb 2 this year came from Selangor.
He noted that the ministry could take legal action against local councils or premise owners under the Prevention and Control of Infectious Disease Act 1988 for premises found to be mosquito-breeding grounds.