Tétouan Launches Aggressive Mosquito Control Campaign, Targets Over 200 Breeding Sites

The municipal press release made public states that there are 209 mosquito breeding sites identified by the health preservation service. These breeding sites are spread over all the areas of the Municipality, in particular Souani, the airport, the industrial zone, Marjane, Coelma, Moklata and the areas bordering the municipality of Martil. About twenty electronic and verbal complaints have informed the municipal authorities.

The intervention teams have raised public awareness on how to avoid and destroy larval breeding grounds. The awareness campaign has reached schools in order to impact a specific target of the population. The program of operations established by the intervention team aims to fight against mosquitoes and prevent their reproduction through the use of appropriate amounts of insecticides.

The first phase of the program targeted the fight against mosquito larvae in marshes, water basins, wells, etc. 292 operations were carried out as of March 30, over an estimated area of 51.6 hectares using about 25.8 liters of insecticides.

The second phase of the program focused on the fight against flying mosquitoes found in green spaces, public establishments, health facilities, streets and alleys and cemeteries. The press release from the municipality of Tétouan points out that the cell for the fight against insects and mosquitoes carried out 54 interventions, over a total area estimated at 68.5 ha, requiring the use of about 60.05 liters of insecticides.

The cell for the fight against insects and mosquitoes noted the absence of mosquito control operations in the neighboring municipalities of Tétouan. This observation does not favor the complete success of the operations in Tétouan. In addition, rainfall disrupts mosquito control operations. To these difficulties must be added the existence of bad practices of certain citizens, who leave uncovered pots filled with water which is conducive to the hatching of mosquito larvae which turn into flying mosquitoes. It is recommended that uncovered wells be provided with covers in the future.