The application allows you to report findings of Aedes aegypti and possible breeding sites, to control and intervene more efficiently against the transmission of dengue.
He Ministry of Public Health (MSP) presented a mobile application with the aim of combating dengue and other mosquito-borne diseases throughout the country. It is the result of a collaboration with the Embassy of Spain in Uruguay and the University of the Republic (UdelaR).
The MSP launched the application Mosquito Alert, that allows the dissemination of information regarding the mosquito Aedes aegypti —such as photos and identifiers of these insects— as well as the possibility of reporting the presence of adult specimens and breeding sites in points throughout the country.
“If each of the children and young people downloads the application and begins to report the mosquitoes they find, the breeding sites they find, this will be shared with those who receive them and a mapping can be made of the areas of the country where there are breeding sites and mosquitoes” , explained the Minister of Health, Karina Rando.
“It is a new, collaborative stage, of innovation, and of citizen commitment. This application captivated children in other countries and we hope the same happens in Uruguay”, he added.
A mosquito or its breeding sites are reported with a photo
The idea is to report, using a photo, the possible discovery of a mosquito or its breeding sites in public spaces and thus contribute to the surveillance and control of diseases such as dengue, he zika and the chikungunya, that are transmitted by this insect.
Each person who uploads a photo will receive information generated by artificial intelligence about what type of mosquito it could be; After that first response, a verification made by humans will arrive, as explained by the director of Zoonoses and Vectors of the MSP, Gabriela Willat.
The application is of Spanish origin, so the MSP worked with the Spanish Embassy in Uruguay and UdelaR for its adaptation to the country.
Source: Ambito
