Rousseff: mosquito must be eliminated before impacting children and pregnant

President Dilma Rousseff has asked again the whole society to be engaged in the fight against the Aedes aegypti mosquito, transmitter of dengue, chikungunya fever, and Zika virus, which can cause microcephaly in infants. "We will prove that this country is fully conscious and determined to eliminate this mosquito before it impacts our children and pregnant women," she said Wednesday (Feb. 3) during the ceremony to deliver housing units of the Minha Casa, Minha Vida affordable housing program in Indaiatuba, São Paulo state.

Rousseff reported that the government is "tirelessly" working to develop a vaccine, even in partnership with the United States. According to her, the Butantan Institute in São Paulo is also forming a partnership with the French laboratory Sanofi. "We will put all effort to develop this vaccine."

The president reiterated that while there is no vaccine, we must eliminate the mosquito's breeding grounds—stagnant water. "Together— federal, state, and municipal governments, churches, trade unions, and the whole civil society—, we can eliminate the mosquito if we carefully inspect our houses, because two thirds of stagnant water—the mosquito's breeding grounds are in our houses. We must prove that this country with over 200 million people is stronger than the mosquito."

Pronouncement

The president will make an announcement on national radio and television late today to ask the population to be engaged in the fight against the Aedes aegypti. The aim is to make a call to remove breeding grounds, which is currently the only possible prevention against the outbreak of the diseases caused by the mosquito.

Translated by Amarílis Anchieta