THA health secretary: Widespread fogging for dengue could harm agriculture

THA SECRETARY of Health, Wellness and Social Protection Dr Faith BYisrael says the division has taken a deliberate decision, for now, to not do any widespread insecticide fogging to contain the spread of the dengue virus in Tobago.

She said fogging can affect the island's agriculture sector and the natural environment.

To date, the Ministry of Health reported there are 911 confirmed cases of dengue fever in the country and 11 confirmed dengue-related deaths. Tobago has not yet had any reported deaths from the virus.

On the Tobago Updates morning show on August 27, BYisrael said the division’s public health inspectors have been educating Tobagonians about dengue via television and at community groups and churches.

She added the division’s perifocal workers, who are part of the Department of Health, are also going around to people’s homes to see if they are implementing measures to prevent mosquitoes from breeding.

BYisrael said the preventative tips are also being passed on to the general public,

On why the division has not been using fogging, she said, “That is because the widespread fogging not only kills the mosquitoes. But it also kills so many other insects and so many other pollinators – the butterflies – which is what we need to do all of the other wonderful things that other insects and other pollinators do when it comes to agriculture. So we have decided to hold off on the widespread fogging of the whole island.”

BYisrael, a public health practitioner, said the division also wants people to take responsibility for themselves.

“Because we could have a situation where we go, do widespread fogging, kill all of the mosquitoes that are here now. But because people are not doing what they need to do, we kill all of the mosquitoes and we kill all of the butterflies.

“But three weeks later we have a problem again because people still have their water containers uncovered. So it’s a delicate balancing act.”