Padang Terap District

DAY 3
Date: 7th July 2009
Venue: Dewan Terap, Pusat Kesihatan Daerah Padang Terap
Topic: Vector Control Unit
Person Incharge: Encik Mohd. Zin (Penolong Pegawai Kesihatan Daerah Kanan)

Control of Vector Borne Diseases
1. We were taken by the Penolong Pegawai Kesihatan Persekitaran (PPKP), Encik Mohd. Zin.
2. He explained about the organization chart of the Vector Control Unit and its role in controlling vector borne diseases.



3. We mainly discussed dengue and the recent outbreak of chikungunya.
4. For 2009(till week 26), there were 31 reported cases of dengue and 844 cases of chikungunya.


Control of Dengue/ Chikungunya
1. Cases of dengue have to be notified within 24 hours.
2. After notification, investigation and control is done by the VCU within 3 days of onset.
3. Control is achieved by investigation on every house to determine Aedes Index and Breteau Index.
a. AI= number of houses with positive breeding place x 100
Number of houses surveyed

- Target should be less than 1%

b. BI= number of positive breeding sites x 100
Number of houses surveyed

- Target should be less than 2.5
- For touldhese values to be valid, the sample size should be at least 50 houses.
4. Then Larva survey is done. Here, operation search and destroy is carried out to identify potential breeding sites and destroy them.
5. ‘Larvaciding’ is mainly done by using chemicals which is targeted at Aedes Larvae.
6. There are two forms of larvacides: one is liquid which is ABATE 500E and the other is in powder form which is ABATE 1.1G.
7. The last step in controlling dengue is by fogging. There are mainly two types of fogging, one is Thermofog and another is ULV(ultra low volume).
8. The fogging covers a total radius of 200m. If there is an outbreak, this radius is increased to 400m.
9. Fogging is usually done either in the early morning or in the late evening, during the mosquitos’ active hours.
10. Fogging has to be postponed if the conditions are unfavorable such as strong winds or rain.

Precaution Steps and Safety Measures
1. During fogging, no residents are allowed to remain in the house.
2. All pets should be evacuated.
3. All food should be covered.
4. All windows should be closed with all doors open.
5. The foggers should also take safety precautions, by wearing personal protective equipments (PPE), such as the earplugs and facemask, overall and boots.
6. They should make sure that all body parts are covered.
7. The foggers cannot eat, smoke or drink before, during and after fogging.
8. After fogging, they should wash themselves before entering their respective houses.
9. Serum level of poison is checked routinely in foggers. If it is found to be high, they are then moved to a different unit for 2 to 3 months until the level returns back to normal range.

Offences (Destruction of Disease Bearing Insect Act 1975)
1. For the first offence
a. Fine not exceeding RM1000 or imprisonment of not more than 3 months.
2. For second offence or subsequent offences
a. Fine not more than RM2000 or imprisonment of not more than 1year or both.
3. Offender can also be fined not more than RM50 a day till breeding place is destroyed.
4. An offender can be immediately compounded not more than RM100 without warning.