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THE WORLD MOSQUITO PROGRAM IS WORKING IN EL SALVADOR TO PROTECT COMMUNITIES FROM MOSQUITO-BORNE DISEASES LIKE DENGUE, ZIKA, CHIKUNGUNYA AND YELLOW FEVER. 

In 2022, the El Salvador Ministry of Public Health (MINSAL) reported that dengue cases tripled compared to the previous year, with more than 16,000 cases.

As part of the Ministry’s efforts to combat this rising threat of mosquito-borne disease, it has joined forces with the World Mosquito Program (WMP). The “Wolbachia project” will be a first for the country and see Wolbachia mosquitoes released in three municipalities. 

The project involves external collaborators including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Puerto Rico Vector Control Unit (PRVCU).

Other mosquito-borne diseases such as Zika and chikungunya are well known to the Salvadoran population, with more than 100,000 chikungunya cases in 2014 and 75,000 in 2020.

WMP event launch in El Salvador
Project sites
3
Number of people reached
381,600
Total area reached
31 km²
"With this new strategy in place, we're sure we'll achieve a reduction in incidence and prevalence of positive and suspected cases of dengue in our communities. Every year, they are crippled by new cases of suspected dengue."
Dr. Mauricio Canizalez
Western Regional Health Director of El Salvador
Dr. Canizalez
Maps_El Salvador
 

Project sites

The World Mosquito Program is partnering with the El Salvador Ministry of Public Health (MINSAL), as well as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Puerto Rico Vector Control Unit (PRVCU), to address the threat of mosquito-borne diseases in three municipalities. These include Santa Ana, San Sebastián Salitrillo and Chalchuapa.

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