Shawdesh Desk: The government will conduct countrywide drives from July 25 to 31 in a bid to prevent mosquitos from breeding and to eradicate larvae of mosquitos in order to stop diseases like dengue and chikungunya from spreading.

Local Government and Rural Development (LGRD) Minister Md Tajul Islam announced this while talking to journalists after attending a meeting with the deputy commissioners this morning.

The DCs have been provided directives in this regard to make the initiative a success, he added.

The advent of monsoon has triggered an outbreak of mosquito-borne diseases, mainly dengue fever, the minister said on the fourth day of the conference.

According to a Directorate General of Health Services report, 4,247 people were infected with dengue virus from January till July 15.

The number of deaths is three so far, says DGHS control room.

Experts said climate change effects, intermittent rain, weather pattern change and lack of cleanliness were the main reasons for this increase in dengue cases.

A survey by DGHS found high presence of Aedes mosquitoes in Dhaka.

The communicable diseases wing of the DGHS conducted the survey from March 3 to 12. It surveyed water samples collected from 998 houses at 100 places under 97 wards of two city corporations.

The survey found high level of larvae of Aedes mosquitoes in water collected in abandoned tyres, plastic drums, buckets, open tanks in under-construction buildings, and flower pots.