Ministry Assures Water Containing Abate Safe To Drink

KUALA LUMPUR, March 23 (Bernama) -- The hot weather due to the El Nino phenomenon is driving more people to store up water for daily use. Nonetheless, it can be dangerous if the water tank is not tightly covered or treated with mosquito larvicide (abate) to prevent the breeding of the aedes mosquito in such receptacles. Health Ministry Vector-Borne Disease Sector head, Dr Rose Nani Mudin said many people were unaware that water treated with abate powder according to the recommended dosage was safe to drink. She said results of research and monitoring by the sector showed the people misunderstood that larvicide was poisonous or that the substance could affect the function of clean water. "The hot weather is driving the aedes mosquito to be more active and to bite more often than normal, and the occasional rain is providing the mosquito with a place to lay eggs. "So, among the preventive measures, we encourage the people to use abate powder on stored water as it can kill larvae, and the stored water is safe for drinking," she told Bernama here Wednesday. Dr Rose Nani said one sachet contains 20 grammes abate powder and only two grammes were needed for 18 litres of water, adding that abate was effective for up to three to four weeks. As at March, there were 2,556 cases of dengue, a fall of six per cent or 163 cases as compared to the week before at 2,719 cases. From January to March 12, there were 30,678 cases, an increase of 6.2 per cent or 1,794 cases compared to the same period last year at 28,884 cases. Meanwhile, Dr Rose Nani said eczema and dengue were synonymous with hot weather and advised patients with asthma to step up the level of personal care. -- BERNAMA

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