Initial results from various regions revealed decrease in dengue cases after using the Mosquito Ovicidal Larvicidal (OL) Trap, data from the Department of Science and Technology show.
In Region 2, for example, five schools in Ballesteros and Claveria towns in Cagayan reported “zero case” as of press time, namely the Libag Elementary School, North Central School, Caritan Elementary School, Cataggamman National High School, and University of Cagayan Valley.
Official reports showed that in 2010, there were 210 aggregate cases of dengue among schoolchildren in four barangays where these schools were located. After the OL Trap rollout in these barangays, no cases have been reported thus far.
Ballesteros and Claveria were declared “hotspots” for dengue cases last year, with the former having 213 cases and the latter, 15 cases. To date, there have been no dengue cases reported since the roll out.
With the decrease in dengue cases reported in the region, Dr. Labasan, municipal health officer of Solano, Nueva Vizcaya said that additional units are needed for other barangays as they found that mosquito eggs and larvae are “killed right there and then.”
“It is the only way to stop the eggs from hatching,” he added.
In the Eastern Visayas where the OL Trap was initially launched, results showed that five barangays in Northern Samar, Southern Leyte, and Leyte showed zero results after the OL Trap was used in said areas. Brgy. Dalakit in Catarman, for example, had 44 cases last year while Brgy Airport had 30 cases. Meanwhile, Brgy 109-A in Leyte had 64 cases last year. Its neighbor, Brgy 109, also showed significant result having decreased its dengue cases from 122 last year to three this year.
Similar positive results were also seen in Region 10. Dr. Josephine Ibalo, Department of Health’s dengue coordinator in Bukidnon noted 36 cases in the whole province this year as of August 10, a significant decrease from last year’s 1,087 cases and 16 deaths.
The use of the trap has increased the awareness of the communities on the nature of the dengue carrying Aedis Aegypti mosquito and how to prevent them from breeding any further.
The OL Trap works by attracting the said mosquito, through the trap’s black color and organic solution, to lay its eggs in the trap. The solution then kills the eggs and the larvae, thus eliminating the next generation of mosquitoes.
The OL Trap is one of DOST’s R&D strategies in addressing dengue and is part of the government’s multi-pronged approach in fighting said fatal disease. This month, DOST and the Department of Education are working together in providing OL Traps to elementary and secondary school, both public and private, that are located in hotspot areas in the National Capital Region. S&T Media Service
