Muscat – Twenty-six cases of dengue were reported in the last few days, H E Dr Ahmed bin Mohammad al Sa’eedi, Minister of Health, stated on Wednesday.

Addressing a press conference held by the Supreme Committee tasked with tackling the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the minister said, “On Tuesday, 17 dengue cases were registered in the wilayat of Bausher, seven in the wilayat of Seeb, and two in the wilayat of Amerat.”

“We should not create an environment conducive for Aedes aegypti mosquitoes to spread. I urge citizens and residents to get rid of water collecting in bins, tyres and such places in their homes.”

The Ministry of Heath (MoH) has informed that dengue is not transmitted from person to person directly, but transmitted to humans through the bite of Aedes aegypti mosquitoes. It stated that dengue fever was recorded in the sultanate in 2019 and 2020 in Muscat and Dhofar, too.

Issuing guidelines to prevent dengue, it stated, ‘The ministry urges people to wear clothes with long sleeves that cover the body, use mosquito repellent on exposed parts of the body (caution with history of allergy, read product leaflet) and use window nets. Houses can also be sprayed with insecticides.’

MoH, in cooperation with Muscat Municipality, launched a joint campaign recently to combat Aedes aegypti mosquitoes in Al Hail South, Ghubra and Al Ansab.