The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned that a third of the world’s population is at risk of an epidemic transmitted by the Aedes aegypti mosquito. In Ecuador, the Ministry of Public Health (MPH) registered a total of 16,017 dengue cases in 2022.

Against this background, efforts to control the disease transmitted by Aedes aegypti are positive.

Today, one hundred thousand sterilized males of this species are released in the Bellavista sector of Santa Cruz in the Galapagos as part of a project to reduce insect fertility.

Therefore, Ecuador is putting into practice – as a test to measure its local effectiveness – one of the health initiatives implemented worldwide to control diseases such as dengue, Zika and chikungunya.

The procedure should not be the only one carried out and although the Aedes aegypti mosquito lives in clean waters, the rainy season raises another alarm that facilitates its reproduction with the consequent risk of the aforementioned evils.

Research around the Galapagos Marine Reserve (RMG) has revealed a greater number of sea lion and fur seal cubs, and that the health status of marine iguanas is positive.

The lack of public services such as piped drinking water supply forces, especially in popular sectors and rural areas, the storage of water, along with inadequate collection of solid waste that becomes a breeding ground for mosquitoes.

As of March 8, 2023, according to MSP, 2,958 cases of dengue fever have been reported. Morona Santiago, Guayas and Manabí are the provinces with the highest number of infected people.

After the release of sterile mosquitoes in the Galapagos, another one is planned in the city of Lita, between the provinces of Imbabura and Esmeraldas.

At the same time, state and local bodies have the duty, in the medium term, to solve the problems of the lack of drinking water services, and in the short term, to effectively spread the risks of maintaining mosquito breeding grounds, as well as to control and lead proper garbage collection. (OR)