By Our Correspondent
Rawalpindi : The further fall in temperature in this region of the country expected in the next two to three weeks may result in a decline in dengue fever incidence as mosquitoes including ‘aedes aegypti’, the vector that causes dengue fever would not be able to hatch its eggs nor would be able to bite after a certain fall in mercury.
Studies reveal that the biting ability and physiological functions of ‘aedes aegypti’ and other species of mosquitoes are affected by the fall in temperature, particularly below 13-degree centigrade. The mercury has already started falling in the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi hinting that the severe dengue fever outbreak in the region would be under control within next three to four weeks.
Health experts believe that the existing adult ‘aedes aegypti’ in the environment may continue transmission of the infection but its rate would most probably be decreasing within the next couple of weeks or so depending on further fall in mercury.
It is worth mentioning here that only mature female ‘aedes aegypti’ mosquitoes infected with the dengue virus transmit the disease and the whole life cycle of the species does not long for over 28 days and if the temperature falls to a certain degree, there would not be adult mosquitoes after four weeks.
At temperatures below 13 to 14 degrees centigrade, breeding of the mosquitoes may not be possible and after the fall in temperature, the breeding of mosquitoes in the outdoor environment would certainly be affected, said the Head of the Department of Infectious Diseases at Holy Family Hospital Dr. Muhammad Mujeeb Khan while talking to ‘The News’.
However, the most important thing at the time for individuals is to clear indoor places from possible breeding sites of mosquitoes as the temperature inside homes and offices does not fall below 13-degree centigrade normally, he said.
