Antofagasta fumigates dengue mosquito hotspots amid health alert

Antofagasta, Chile, is battling an outbreak of the Aedes aegypti mosquito, a dangerous vector for diseases including dengue, Zika, chikungunya, and yellow fever. Health authorities confirmed 10 clusters of the mosquito within the city, prompting an immediate response. Fumigation operations have commenced in the vicinity of the Divina Pastora school as part of a broader contingency plan.

Experts from other regions are bolstering inspections, going door-to-door to identify and eliminate mosquito breeding sites. The regional health authority (Seremi de Salud) has issued a resolution addressing the unsanitary conditions contributing to the outbreak. However, officials stress that complete eradication is impossible without active participation from residents.

Bárbara Hott, head of vector control at the Ministry of Health, highlighted the critical importance of monitoring the Aedes aegypti mosquito. She explained its danger lies in its ability to transmit multiple diseases. "If not controlled in a timely manner, this mosquito occupies spaces and establishes itself in territories, and that's when it becomes very dangerous because transmission begins," Hott stated. The ministry is urging citizens to take preventative measures to curb the mosquito's spread.