Campaign against mosquitoes aims to curb dengue

Shanghai has reported seven cases of dengue fever this year as of June 1. All are imported cases from tropical countries in Southeast or South Asia. There were 13 imported cases at the same time last year, said local health authorities on Friday, when officials announced the kickoff of a summer campaign against mosquitoes and flies.

The city reported a total of 107 dengue fever cases last year, 71 more than the previous year.

“The majority of dengue fever patients reported in Shanghai are imported cases. We reported the first local case in 2017, three local cases in 2018 and one local case last year,” said Sun Xiaodong, vice director of the Shanghai Center for Disease Control and Prevention. “The key for dengue fever prevention is to control the mosquitoes. Shanghai has been under threat of dengue fever due to its prevalence in neighboring Asian countries and other regions in China. The flow of people is likely to result in imported cases. Strict inspection and mosquito controls are important to prevent the spread of infectious disease.”

Recent inspections of aedes albopictus, the species of mosquito which spreads dengue fever, find that the risk of dengue fever spread is higher than the same time last year.

“Summer is the peak season for mosquitoes in Shanghai. The high temperatures and humidity are ideal for mosquito breeding and growth. Removing standing water, cleaning the environment and enhancing mosquito inspection are all important for dengue fever control,” Sun said. “Since most cases are imported, we also enhanced inspection of quarantine places, where people from overseas are separated for medical observation under the current novel coronavirus epidemic. We have proper plans whenever cases are detected.”