Number of Project Wolbachia mosquitoes released is constantly reviewed to maintain suppression of dengue: NEA
Number of Project Wolbachia mosquitoes released is constantly reviewed to maintain suppression of dengue: NEA
Tags: Dengue, Genetic biocontrol, Genetic incompatibilities, Incompatible insect technique, WolbachiaN. L. Ching, today, 2021.
Project Wolbachia – Singapore has yielded promising results so far.Releases of non-biting male Wolbachia-Aedes mosquitoes have suppressed the urban Aedes aegypti mosquito populations in study sites at Tampines and Yishun by up to 90 per cent, and we have observed 58 to 74 per cent less dengue cases in 2020 in areas where releases have been ongoing for at least a year compared to areas without releases. However, this does not mean that there will be no dengue cases in the study sites, especially in the initial period, because it takes several months for the releases to bring down the dengue mosquito population.While some residents at the release sites have noticed more non-biting mosquitoes around their homes, the released male mosquitoes do not bite, and the overall data shows a clear benefit — fewer dengue cases.
