Rwanda’s government has started spraying insecticide in mosquito breeding sites using drones, local media reported. According to the head of the malaria division at Rwanda Biomedical Center, the drones are loaded with 10 liters of an insecticide that kills mosquitoes at their larval stage. Dr Mbituyumuremyi said “the unmanned aerial vehicles are going to support the existing efforts that include mosquito nets and housing sprays to fight Anopheles which spread malaria”. About 3.9 million people were tested positive in 2018 to 2019, according to the center. Malaria cases dropped from 4.8m in 2017 to 3.9m in 2019 and the death rate dropped from 660 to 260 between 2016 and 2019, according to the center.

Source: The North Africa Journal January 28, 2020 17:37 UTC