MISTING SYSTEM TO STOP DENGUE

Starting next year, all construction sites in Kajang must be installed with a pesticide misting system to deter mosquito proliferation, as a measure to reduce the number of community dengue cases.

Kajang Municipal Council (MPKj) president Nazli Md Taib said before construction begins, officers would check the site.

“We are going to make it compulsory for all development projects to instal this system.

“It will be part of our regulations for development,” he said.

MPKj services and health department director Shariman Mohd Nor said the pesticide misting system was tested at a dengue hotspot and it was effective.

He said this to the media after the council’s full board meeting.

“After Bukit Kenangan apartment in Kajang topped the chart for the highest dengue cases in the country in December 2022, we had to take measures to bring the number down.”

He added that at the densely populated Pangsapuri Baiduri in Semenyih, 36 dengue cases were reported between January and August last year.

“We tried out this system, which is also used in Singapore,” he said, adding that the machine was from the US and the chemicals for the mist were from Japan.

“We installed the misting system in August and by November, the area was no longer a hotspot.

“When we moved the machine to another location, the mosquito problem resurfaced at Pangsapuri Baiduri and we had 20 dengue cases within 60 days.

“We brought back the machine last March and there have been no new dengue cases there.”

According to Shariman, the system releases the pesticide, four times a day – at 6.30am, 7am, 6.30pm and 7pm – which were peak times for Aedes mosquito activity.

He said developers could rent the machine throughout the construction period for RM3,500 from a service provider.

“Alternative technologies have been used but this system has been the most effective.

From July 14 to 20, 437 dengue cases were reported in Kajang.

MPKj is under the jurisdiction of Hulu Langat district.

Eight zones under the district are under the purview of MPKj while others come under the Hulu Langat District Health Office.

Separately, the council is offering a flat rate of RM10 for every council summons that is settled from Aug 1 to Sept 30.

2024-07-27T01:13:49Z dg43tfdfdgfd