HYDERABAD: In the wake of dengue and chikungunya prevailing in Hyderabad, a pilot project in the city has found that Begumpet has the most mosquitoes causing these infections. As part of the project, Moskeet Traps — which capture mosquitoes, detect the species, and provide real-time data — were set up in Borabanda, Begumpet, Nacharam, Malakpet and the GHMC head office, all regions with a high incidence of dengue and malaria.
The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC), under the pilot project, recently released data collected from these traps between October 15 and November 4. It was found that 340 Aedes aegypti and 276 Aedes albopictus mosquitoes were caught in Begumpet. The corresponding count of mosquitoes in Nacharam and Borabanda was 66 and 64, and 44 and 58 respectively. Aedes aegypti and Aedes albotictus mosquitoes cause dengue and chikungunya.
Though there may be hundreds more mosquitoes in these regions, Moskeet Traps only attract and catch those within a 100 m radius, GHMC officials said. Based on the species-wise information, interventions would be carried out on a priority basis, failing which the impact on society in the affected areas would be fatal and there could be an epidemic, the GHMC Disease Burden Analysis said.
Moskeet Traps are said to be the first commercially-available mosquito traps that can autonomously detect mosquito species. They were designed and developed as an affordable solution for developing and underdeveloped countries.
Each one identifies whether dengue, chikungunya, Zika, Japanese Encephalitis and malaria-causing mosquitoes are present. The data is used to provide scientific and systematic suggestions based on the types of mosquitoes and time they are present in a locality.