Mombasa County officials led by Mombasa Governor Ali Hassan Joho during launching of fogging exercise in Mombasa. (Photo/Maxwell)
A one week study by a team of medical experts from the Kenya Medical Research Institute-KEMRI has revealed that Aedes mosquito that causes Chikungunya disease is mostly breed in homes.
The study has further revealed that at least 35 percent of super water drums stored at homes in Mombasa have acted as breeding sites for the Aedes mosquito which bites people during the day and in the evening thus causing Chikungunya disease.
Speaking at the Coast general hospital in Mombasa on Tuesday after meeting the team of Medical experts and Doctors from KEMRI, Mombasa County health Chief officer Doctor Khadija Shikelly said that since Mombasa locals are facing perennial water shortages, most of them would store water in bulk at their homes thus posing a risk of helping Aedes mosquito breed at a high rate.
She said that Aedes mosquito breeds in fresh water areas unlike the other species of mosquito which breeds in dirty waters, open water swamps and in drainage systems.
She said that open jericanes of water stored at homes add up to three percent of the breeding rates for mosquito.
“With this revelations, we are appealing to locals to ensure all water storage super drums and the 20 litre water jericanes are properly closed so that no mosquito breeds in homes and other residential surroundings,” she said.
According to Doctor Shikelly since larvae (eggs) breeds to mosquitoes in about 5-7 days, then locals should try and empty their water storages within five days and clean the super drums and jericanes as well.
She said that KEMRI who have been helpful in advising the County health department on how to manage the current situation are currently conducting more research on the Aedes mosquito that has resulted into Chikungunya outbreak that has affected many Mombasa residents.
“However, though the disease causes severe joint pains and at times vomiting and diarrhea among the victims it is not fatal, but we are struggling to manage it,” added Doctor Shikelly.