Dengue fever transmission highly possible in buses
Aedes aegypti mosquito, carrier of the dengue virus
MANILA, Philippines — Dengue-carrying mosquitoes travel by bus too.
With this in mind, the Department of Health (DOH) started on Monday its spraying and disinfection activities in bus terminals along Edsa as part of its continuing campaign to eliminate dengue in Metro Manila and protect bus drivers against contagious diseases such as pneumonia.
“The agility of mosquitoes to travel by bus from neighboring regions and provinces to Metro Manila prompted the department to target areas frequented by commuters,” according to Health Undersecretary Teodoro Herbosa.
He said bus passengers who would sleep in the terminal while waiting for their trip could be vulnerable to the disease. Passengers with dengue fever might spread the virus when bitten by mosquito while traveling, he added.
“We will continue to sustain our anti-dengue efforts until such time that dengue in Metro Manila is eliminated. Spraying activities and disinfection of public areas in various barangays are also being conducted regularly,” said Herbosa.
Records from the DOH Regional Epidemiology Surveillance Unit showed that there were 1,597 dengue cases admitted in various hospitals in the capital from Jan. 1 to March 15, 2014. This number is 40 percent less compared to figures culled during the same period in 2013.
Most of the cases were from Manila City, registering 354 dengue cases and four deaths. Quezon City came in second with 293 cases; Las Piñas with 137; Pasig, 130; Caloocan, 119; and Parañaque with 104 cases.
The chemicals used by the DOH for spraying and disinfection were certified environment-friendly by the Food and Drugs Authority, said Herbosa.
He added that the effect of the spray could last up to three months, noting that a droplet would be enough to kill mosquitoes and other insects such as cockroaches and flies.
Among the buses that were sprayed and disinfected were Jac Liner Inc., Victory Liner Inc., Rj express, Inc., First North Luzon Transit, JAM Liner, Ceres Tours, Florida Bus, Dagupan Bus Co., DLTB Bus Co., ALPS Bus Co., AB Liner, Lucena Lines, Dominion Bus Lines, Dalin Bus, Viron Transit, Super Lines Trans, Co. Inc., Raymund Transportation, Five Star Bus Co., Santrans, Inc., ES Transport, Genesis Transport Service, Inc., HM Transport, Inc., Partas Bus Co., N. Dela Rosa Transit, Ferminas Bus Co., Philtranco and Isarog Lines.
The health agency also carried out pneumococcal vaccination on Monday to bus drivers and conductors in a bid to protect them against pneumonia.
“The vaccine is for the protection of bus drivers and conductors who are always exposed to diseases and bacteria through the [money] they hold and which may have been handled by a passenger suffering from cough, cold or pneumonia,” explained Herbosa.
He said the vaccine would protect a person against the disease caused by Streptococcus Pneumoniae for three years.
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