HCM City using thermal foggers to kill mosquitoes

The HCM City Preventive Health Centre is piloting the use of thermal foggers to kill mosquitoes as the number of Zika virus cases continues to increase (Photo: VNA)

HCM
City (VNA) – The HCM City Preventive Health Centre is piloting the
use of thermal foggers to kill mosquitoes, replacing the (UTL)
, as the number of Zika incidences continues to increase.

Dr
Le Hong Nga, head of the health centre, said the machines spray dense fog that
stays in the air and on plants longer than the cold fogger machines.

However,
the disadvantage of the dense thermal fogger is that the fog could impair
drivers’ vision. It could also activate fire alarms when sprayed inside
buildings.

City
officials said the thermal foggers were being used outside buildings only.

The
city used the thermal foggers to spray the campuses of HCM City University of
Social Sciences and Humanities in Thu Duc district, the College of Finance and
Customs in District 9, and the University of Transport and Communications in
District 2 on December 4.

Dormitories
and university grounds are at high risk because of discarded water containers
that have favorable conditions for mosquitoes.

As
of December of 4, the number of incidences in the city had increased to 94
in 19 out of 24 districts. Of these, 12 were pregnant women.

Although
the centre has expanded the spraying of chemicals to kill mosquitoes, the
Ministry of Health has urged households to clean their houses and neighbouring
areas and get rid of containers of water, which could be home to mosquito
larvae.-VNA