Brazil wages massive operation to eliminate Zika vector mosquitoes
Brasília - Ministers at a preparation meeting ahead of the mobilization against Aedes aegypti on Saturday (13)
The federal government will hold a National Day of Mobilization to Combate Aedes aegypti this Saturday (Feb. 13), in an attempt to get the population actively involved in eradicating the mosquitoes that transmit Zika virus, dengue fever, and chikungunya. Three million homes in 350 municipalities will be visited.
The Armed Forces marshaled about 220,000 men for the operation. They will monitor health agents in their educational, house-to-house visits. The choice of the cities to be covered was based on the presence of Aedes aegypti mosquitoes and of military units.
“This is a campaign to engage the population in our efforts to eradicate vector mosquitoes, and we're going house to house. Our goal is to visit at least 3 million homes and hand out at least 4 million leaflets on Saturday,” said Defense Minister Aldo Rebelo.
Minister Aldo Rebelo
President Dilma Rousseff asked her cabinet join the mobilization by visiting several states, talking to mayors and governors, and visiting homes. Aldo Rebelo is going to São Paulo, whereas Health Minister Marcelo Castro is heading for Salvador, and Chief of Staff Jaques Wagner will visit São Luís.
Other ministers are also going on field trips missions: Culture Minister Juca Ferreira (Aracaju); Social Development Minister Tereza Campello (Recife); the head of the presidential communications office, Edinho Silva (Maceió), and the head of the Government Secretariat of the President's Office, Ricardo Berzoini (Manaus).
Earlier this month, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared an international public health emergency because of a surge in microcephaly associated with infection with Zika virus. According to WHO Director-General Margaret Chan, the situation gets all the more worrying considering the lack of population immunity, the absence of vaccines, specific treatments, and rapid diagnostic tests, and the possibility of a global spread of the virus.
Translated by Mayra Borges
Fonte: Brazil wages massive operation to eliminate Zika vector mosquitoes
