Nha Trang
leaders on Friday said they support a plan to release mosquitoes infected with
a strain of bacteria in the resort beach town next year to control dengue and
Zika.
The plan
was introduced by a Health Ministry working group at a meeting with local leaders,
following a successful pilot project carried out in Nha Trang between 2013 and
2015.
Health
officials said the infected mosquitoes would be released in four wards of Nha
Trang.
The
method takes advantage of the naturally occurring strain of bacteria known as
Wolbachia, which live in insect cells and are found in 60 percent of common
insects.
Infecting
mosquitoes with Wolbachia significantly reduced their ability to transmit
dengue and the Zika virus, studies have shown.
The
bacteria has been released in several countries including Australia, Brazil,
and Indonesia as part of strategies to control dengue.
In the
pilot project in Vietnam, it helped almost eradicate dengue cases in Tri
Nguyen, an island 2 km off Nha Trang coast.
In the
meeting Friday, Nguyen Dac Tai, vice chairman of Nha Trang's People's
Committee, said local leaders support the plan.
However,
he insisted that it be carried out discreetly.
Vietnam
has so far reported three Zika patients, including one in Nha Trang.
Hien Luong
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