"If You Catch Bugs, You Will Receive a Reward"…Special Measures Taken Amid Epidemic Outbreak

A village near Manila, Philippines, has attracted attention by announcing that it will pay cash rewards for catching mosquitoes to prevent the spread of dengue fever.

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According to BBC and AP News on the 19th (local time), the Addition Hills village in Mandaluyong City near the Philippine capital Manila has launched a mosquito capture campaign by offering rewards to residents. Carlito Sernal, the village representative, explained that they are paying a cash reward of 1 peso (about 25 won) for every five live or dead mosquitoes or larvae caught. He stated that since the reward payment began, a total of about 700 mosquitoes and larvae have been collected.

This measure comes amid a recent surge in dengue fever cases transmitted by mosquitoes in the Philippines. According to statistics from the Philippine Department of Health, at least 28,234 dengue fever infection cases have been reported in the Philippines as of February 1 this year, marking a 40% increase compared to the same period last year.

Addition Hills, home to over 100,000 residents, is an urban village densely packed with high-rise condos and residential areas. After 42 dengue fever patients were reported this year and two recent deaths occurred, the village announced the reward payment plan.

Regarding this, the Philippine Department of Health told BBC, "We express our gratitude for the goodwill of local government officials striving to fight dengue fever."

However, some have pointed out that this strategy could backfire. One netizen expressed concern, saying, "There might be people who deliberately breed mosquitoes to earn the reward." Others commented, "Wouldn't it be better to spend money on sanitation and pest control to eliminate mosquitoes?" and "It is doubtful whether this will have any effect on suppressing and preventing the spread of dengue fever."

Meanwhile, dengue fever is an acute febrile viral disease transmitted by mosquitoes. It spreads when a mosquito carrying the dengue virus bites a person. Symptoms include acute high fever over 40 degrees Celsius, headache, fatigue, severe muscle and joint pain, lymph node swelling, vomiting, and rash. In severe cases, it can lead to respiratory distress or internal bleeding, which may result in death. It mainly occurs in Southeast Asian regions popular among Koreans for travel, such as the Philippines, Thailand, and Indonesia. In South Korea, about 30 cases are reported annually, typically after traveling to endemic areas.

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