29 Dhaka South wards at high risk of dengue, survey finds

Twenty-nine wards in Dhaka South have been identified as high-risk areas for dengue, with Aedes mosquito larvae and pupae found in 322 of the 2,250 houses surveyed, the Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) said on Wednesday.

The survey, conducted between September 27 and October 8, covered 30 houses in each of the city’s 75 wards.

Another 28 wards were classified as moderately risky, while 18 were categorised as low-risk based on mosquito larval density.

“Government initiatives alone are not enough to prevent dengue. Active participation by citizens, keeping homes and workplaces clean, and removing stagnant water at least once a week are essential,” DSCC Administrator Md Abdus Salam told a press briefing at Nagar Bhaban.

The high-risk wards are: 1, 2, 9, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 19, 20, 21, 22, 24, 25, 26, 27, 31, 53, 54, 55, 56, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 65 and 71.

Dhaka South’s findings showed that multi-storey buildings and detached houses accounted for 31.06 percent and 31.37 percent, respectively, of the surveyed premises where Aedes larvae were detected.

Larvae were also found in semi-pucca houses, vacant plots and buildings under construction.

Plastic buckets were the most common breeding sites, accounting for 14.21 percent of the identified sources, followed by plastic drums at 11.22 percent, stagnant water in basements at 9.98 percent, plastic mugs at 9.23 percent and flower pots at 5.99 percent.

The survey used random sampling to select 2,250 houses, with 36 field workers from the DSCC and the Directorate General of Health Services participating in the exercise.

Data were collected using the KoboToolbox platform and analysed through four indicators — the Breteau Index, House Index, Container Index and Pupal Index — to assess mosquito density and identify potential dengue hotspots.

Administrator Salam said the city corporation was continuing special mosquito-control drives and public awareness campaigns in high-risk areas based on the survey findings.

The DSCC has also introduced a special cleaning initiative at all primary schools, covering school premises and toilets every Saturday as part of its regular Cleaning Day programme to protect children from dengue.

The administrator called on media outlets to help raise public awareness about mosquito breeding and dengue prevention.