The thirtieth:
Time to remember
Article published in June 2014
To list the wonders of Nature is an easy task. It is nice to talk about the beauty of a flower, the miracle of life and the enchantment of a wave breaking on a beach.
But Nature is not only this. When we talk about the divine Creation, as described in the book of Genesis, we think of sees and mountains, plants and animals. But, what about the dengue mosquito, the Aedes aegypti, where does it fit in this theme ? Its name means “The hateful from Egypt”, perhaps as an alert about the dangers it might bring about us, humans.
Currently several brazilian cities are facing hard times, as a dengue epidemics reaches big proportions. Public campaigns constantly recommend that mosquito’s breeding points be eliminated, i.e., places that make its reproduction possible: clean water, standing in some location where the mosquito lay its eggs.
Dengue is a sickness caused by a virus and transmitted by the mosquito by means of a sting in our skin. Therefore it is important to fight the mosquito and its reproduction: if there is no mosquito there will be no sting, and without a sting, there will be no sickness. The dengue fever, as it is known, can be treated, but in some cases can lead to death.
Everyone is responsible to fight the dengue mosquito. In a time of an unprecedented urban growing, various kinds of objects, debris or spread garbage remain exposed to air and rain, and they end up by accumulating water, where the mosquito will later lay its eggs. As a conscious citizen, be always alert, and specially, if you are in a leadership position, let your actions be an example to others: strive to avoid the formation of mosquito’s breeding points.
To build dengue free urban spaces, which combine well being and respect to Nature, is a challenge in this 21st century. And at the same time, it means hope.
Natura Futura 