Malathion which is being used in the fogging of mosquitoes is not harmful to the public, according to the Head of the Vector Control Unit, Dr Horace Cox and in the wake of the growing concerns over the Zika virus the campaign is being stepped up countrywide.
Malathion, an organophosphate insecticide, is being mixed with diesel fuel which is used as an agent to enable dispersal. The mixture is then transformed into a dense vapour to kill adult mosquitoes. This method is currently one of several measures employed across the country as instructed by the Ministry of Public Health in an effort to prevent the mosquito-borne Zika virus being transmitted.
The Zika virus is spread by the bite of an infected Aedes aegypti mosquito. Its symptoms include fever, joint and muscle pains, headaches, rashes, and conjunctivitis. These symptoms usually appear within three to twelve days following the bite of an
