Punjab govt is going to use this fish to fight dengue

• Tilapia fish, known to eat mosquitoes that spread dengue, to be used to help combat disease.
• The government has released 24,00,000 Tilapia fish in ponds, rives and breeding places.

The Government of Punjab has come up with a unique plan to combat dengue, as cases related to the deadly mosquito-borne virus keep surfacing across the province and other parts of country as well.

The provincial government of Punjab plans on using Tilapia fish, known to eat mosquitoes that spread dengue, to fight the deadly disease. The government has released an army of 24,00,000 Tilapia fish into ponds, puddles, rivers and other breeding places, Express Tribune reported.

Assistant Director and Spokesperson of Punjab Fisheries, Mian Ghulam Qadir, has said that the use of fish to combat the spread of dengue has been very successful. Qadir further said that they are prepared to fight dengue this year. He added that all institutions can get the mosquito-eating fish from their hatcheries.

The government has also experimented with Guppy fish, which is also known for eating mosquito. According to a joint report by the Asian Development Bank and the World Health Organization, the release of Guppy fish in a water storage tank on the community level can result in the reduction of mosquitoes.

According to Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Health Zafar Mirza, more than 10,013 dengue cases have so far been reported from across the country this year. In Punjab alone, more than 4,000 cases have surfaced.