Tilapia to eliminate dengue larvae

LAHORE:

In Punjab, millions of dengue-killer fish are ready to eliminate the larva of dengue mosquito. Over 2.3 million tilapia baby fish is being dropped in ponds and lakes in various districts.

With the change of weather, dengue fever has started spreading. In addition to the health department, the Punjab Fisheries is also very active in eliminating the dengue mosquito. The Punjab Fisheries has bred 2.3 million tilapia fish this year to eliminate dengue larva.

Punjab Fisheries experts said that tilapia was a small fish that used to be considered a symbol of rebirth in ancient Egypt. In modern times, scientists were working on using this fish against mosquitoes that carry diseases like dengue and malaria.

The Director-General of Fisheries of Punjab, Dr. Sikandar Hayat, told The Express Tribune that as the dengue mosquito bred in water, if water got from the birds' bowls, it was dropped, and if it was found in the air conditioners in houses, it was destroyed, which was called mechanical control.

Another method was chemical control, which was used in such ponds where all the water could not be disposed of, and where the larva was killed using chemicals.

Dr. Hayat said that the third method of dengue control was biological in which the tilapia fish was released into the water. This method was used for reservoirs where the water was used for human consumption.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 22^nd, 2022.