23-6-2024 (JAKARTA) In a bid to curb the alarming dengue outbreak in the city, the Jakarta administration is set to embark on an innovative pilot project that involves releasing lab-bred mosquitoes carrying the Wolbachia bacteria. This move is part of a comprehensive strategy to combat the spread of the potentially deadly virus.
Jakarta Health Agency head Ani Ruspitawati revealed that authorities are in the preparatory stages of the project, which will initially target the Kembangan district in West Jakarta. “We have not started the project yet. We’re still in the preparatory process. If everything’s ready, including the public, we will release the mosquitoes,” Ani stated.
She assured the public that releasing the Wolbachia-infected mosquitoes is a complementary tool to the long-standing 3M campaign (Menguras, Menutup, Mendaur Ulang), which encourages residents to drain, cover, and recycle water sources to eliminate potential mosquito breeding grounds.
Wolbachia, a bacterium discovered by American scientists Marshall Hertig and S. Burt Wolbach in the 1920s and 1930s, naturally exists in 60 percent of insect species but is absent in Aedes aegypti, the primary vector for dengue and several other viruses. When introduced into mosquitoes, Wolbachia competes with viruses like dengue, making it harder for them to reproduce and reducing the insects’ ability to transmit the disease to humans.
The efficacy of this approach has been demonstrated in a study conducted in Yogyakarta, where the release of Wolbachia-carrying mosquitoes led to a 77 percent reduction in dengue cases and an 86 percent decrease in hospitalizations for the disease.
Alongside the Wolbachia project, the Jakarta administration is also considering stricter enforcement of existing regulations aimed at curbing the spread of dengue. In 2007, the city issued a regulation allowing authorities to fine residents up to Rp 50 million (approximately US$3,067) or impose a two-month prison sentence if mosquito larvae are found in their homes. However, enforcement of this regulation has been lax.
The recent surge in dengue cases has prompted the East Jakarta Public Order Agency (Satpol PP) to consider imposing sanctions more rigorously. Jakarta has witnessed an exponential spike in dengue fever cases this year, with 7,142 cases and 15 related fatalities recorded from January 1 to May 17. Last month alone, the city detected 2,900 incidences of the disease.
While the plan to impose hefty fines on residents whose homes harbor mosquito larvae has faced criticism, Acting Jakarta governor Heru Budi Hartono has clarified that the regulation will continue to serve as a guideline rather than a strict enforcement measure. “The regulation merely serves as advice for the public to also participate in curbing the spread of dengue fever. It’s the responsibility of every resident to make sure they have a healthy environment to live in,” he stated.
