Council Calls for Collective Effort to Fight Dengue Outbreak

Lautoka City Council is concerned about the Dengue Outbreak especially in Western Division and takes this issue seriously. Council has taken a proactive approach by completing councils City wide Clean up campaign prior to the rainy season. Total of 2014 loads amounting to 1,492 tones was collected and disposed at Landfill Site during the 2 months cleanup. The cleanup was completed at cost of $200,116.76.

Currently, council has a user pay service of refuse collection whereby citizens can carry out cleanup and pay for removal.

Council wishes to advise that anti-mosquito spraying is only one of the preventative measures to kill adult mosquitoes. REDUCTION AT SOURCE by destroying breeding grounds is the most effective means to eradicate the spread of Dengue Fever.

Mosquito spraying is only a temporary measure as it only kills adult mosquitoes and mosquito population will continue to grow rapidly if water holding breeding sites are not destroyed.

However, Council works very closely with Ministry of Health in containing the current outbreak. Council is regularly updated with cases of dengue (line listing) from Ministry of Health and mosquito spraying through the use of fogging machine is carried out in these hot spot areas.

Council has already conducted spraying in following affected areas: Namoli Village, Andhra Street, Mutlah Street, Berar Place, Fultala Place, Filed 40 un subdivided, Pompey and Oriana Place, Captain Withers Street, Jinnu Road, Andhra Primary and Andhra College, Yalandi st, Guruwaiya Street, Sakoor Place, Autar Place, Jagai Place, Sandalwood Street, Sulua and Taj Place.

Council is thankful for the support from Ministry of Health and will continue with mosquito spraying in hot spot areas.

Lautoka City Council therefore wishes to advice all stakeholders and the residents to take the following precautionary measures to prevent any outbreak of dengue fever: –

Clean environment by destroying any articles or containers likely to retain water and breed

mosquitoes such as tyres, drums, tins, cans, manmade containers etc.

Change water in flower vases and pot plants on regular basis.
Cover all water storage containers.
Make optimal use of council’s user pay service for refuse collection as means to dispose off all mosquito breeding grounds.
Keep compounds and vacant lots free from overgrowth of grass and bush weeds that is likely to harbor mosquitoes.
Guard against mosquito bites. Sleep under mosquito net; apply insect repellants and use anti-mosquito coils.

Citizens are advised to visit your nearest health facility if you have signs and symptoms such as fever (sudden onset), intense headache (especially behind the eyes, muscle and joint pains, flushed skin and rashes on the arms and legs, and perhaps minor bleeding of the gums and/or nose.

“Residents are advised that breeding mosquitoes is an offence and in contravention of Section 109 of the Public Health Act Cap 111. Offenders will be liable for legal proceedings without any further warning”

LET’S JOIN HANDS IN KEEPING OUR ENVIRONMENT AND LAUTOKA CITY CLEAN, HEALTHY AND DENGUE FREE!!!