Naturalis assessing mosquitos on SXM

Minister Emil Lee and the Naturalis Biodiversity Centre team members.

PHILIPSBURG–The Ministry of Public Health, Social Development and Labour VSA recently received a courtesy visit from the Naturalis Biodiversity Centre of the city of Leiden in the Netherlands. The Naturalis team was hosted by Collective Prevention Services (CPS) head Maria Henry and the VSA vector team April 16-20 in relation to a research project of potential mosquito-borne disease hazards currently being conducted by the team in the Dutch Windward Islands.

“The project is focused on identifying the number of various species of mosquitos on the island. This is significant from a health perspective to know, since specific diseases are carried by specific species of mosquitos. Having a better understanding of which mosquitos are actually here on the island gives us better insight on which diseases the population is at risk for.

“We also discussed various mitigation strategies, which was a very interesting and education conversation,” stated Minister of Public Health Emil Lee on Wednesday.

The project is funded by Gieskes Strijbis Fund. The Naturalis research team consisting of six students and two supervisors will be doing assessments in St. Eustatius, St. Maarten and then Saba.

A baseline of potential mosquito-borne disease hazards in Saba, St Eustatius and St Maarten is needed, but the vector fauna have not been surveyed since 11 species were found 60 years ago. Based on adjacent islands, between 20 and 25 species are likely to occur on the three islands, while the total number of species in the Lesser Antilles is almost 60. Moreover, the species’ local ecology is unknown.

The Naturalis team will undertake an initial survey of natural and disturbed habitats in Saba, St. Eustatius and St. Maarten.

Source: The Daily Herald https://www.thedailyherald.sx/islands/76093-naturalis-assessing-mosquitos-on-sxm

LEAVE A REPLY