フィリピンの村、蚊に懸賞金「５匹２．６円」　デング熱対策で

【マニラＡＦＰ＝時事】フィリピン全域でデング熱の感染者が急増する中、マニラ首都圏にあるアディションヒルズ村がデング熱対策の一環として、同ウイルスを媒介する蚊に懸賞金をかけた。金額は５匹で１ペソ（２．６円）、生死は問わない。（写真は、フィリピン・マニラ首都圏の村で、プラスチック容器に入った蚊の幼虫を見せる住民）
　１９日には懸賞金を受け取ろうと、村人たちが役場に列を成した。
　カルリト・セルナル村長は自身が始めたこの啓発プロジェクトについて、地域の清掃活動と組み合わせることで、デング熱の拡散を抑えるのに「大きな効果」を与える可能性があると述べた。
　ＡＦＰの取材に応じたフィリピンの保健当局者や専門家は懐疑的な見方を示したが、村役場でバケツやカップなどの容器に入れた蚊を現金と交換する村人たちの間では熱意が高まっていた。
　フィリピンでは２０２３年、デング熱の感染者が１６万７３５５人、死者が５７５人確認された。世界保健機関（ＷＨＯ）によれば、西太平洋地域で最もデング熱の影響を受けた国となった。
　デング熱の死亡例はまれだが、発熱や頭痛、リンパ節腫脹などの症状を引き起こす。
　フィリピン保健省の報道官を務めるアルベルト・ドミンゴ医師によると、今年は２月１日時点で２万８２００人の感染者が確認されており、前年同期比で４０％増となっている。
　これを受け五つの市などがデング熱の流行を宣言している。
　ドミンゴ氏は１９日、ＡＦＰに対し、地域社会が場当たり的な取り組みを開始する前に保健当局と相談することが重要であり、この問題への最も効果的な対応は「基本に立ち返る」ことだと指摘。
　「早急に周囲を清掃し、よどんだ水がたまる可能性のある場所を一掃すれば、デング熱とより効果的に闘うことができる」と述べ、住民たちには虫除けと長袖で身を守るよう呼び掛けた。
　公衆衛生の専門家アンソニー・レチョン氏はＡＦＰの取材に対し、あらゆるデング熱対策の試みを歓迎する一方で、アディションヒルズの取り組みは「ほとんど、あるいはまったく効果がない」と指摘。
　小銭を稼ぐために蚊を養殖し、問題をさらに深刻化させる者が出てくる可能性もあると警告した。【翻訳編集ＡＦＰＢＢＮｅｗｓ】
〔ＡＦＰ＝時事〕（2025/02/21-17:02）

Residents in a central Manila neighbourhood lined up Wednesday, as dengue cases spike nationwide, to collect a bounty -- one peso for every five mosquitoes, dead or alive.
Carlito Cernal, village captain in Addition Hills, said the awareness-raising project he initiated could have a huge impact on curbing the tropical disease's spread when combined with local clean-up efforts.
Philippine health officials and experts who spoke to AFP were less convinced, but enthusiasm was high among residents who carried pails, cups and other containers filled with dengue-spreading mosquitoes to exchange for cash at the village hall.
Iluminado Candasua brought three live specimens in a sealed plastic cup that were duly counted and transferred by village officials to their so-called death chamber, a glass-enclosed UV light machine.
It's very hard to capture mosquitoes, Candasua told AFP, explaining how he strategically chose a darkly lit fire station where he used a cup to manually trap the insects against a wall.
Candasua said the peso he got for his efforts, worth little more than a US penny, would go into a piggy bank he's using to save for a cellphone for his child.
The World Health Organization ranked the Philippines as the country most affected by dengue in the Western Pacific region in 2023 when it had 167,355 cases and 575 deaths.
The tropical disease, while rarely fatal, carries symptoms ranging from fever and headaches to swollen glands.
- 'Unusual rise' -
The country has seen an unusual rise in cases this year, with 28,200 patients recorded as of February 1, according to Department of Health spokesman Dr. Albert Domingo, a 40 percent increase from the same period last year.
Five cities and municipalities have declared outbreaks.
Domingo told AFP on Wednesday it was important that local communities consult with health authorities before launching ad hoc efforts, adding that the problem was best addressed by going back to the fundamentals.
The sooner we clean our surroundings and overturn any possible areas where stagnant water is collecting, then we will have a better fight against dengue, he said, urging residents to protect themselves with insect repellent and long sleeves.
Public health expert Anthony Leachon told AFP that while he welcomed all anti-dengue initiatives, the Addition Hills roundup would have little or no impact at all.
Some residents, he warned, might even exacerbate the problem by cultivating mosquitoes for coins.
While Rachel Estoque did not intentionally breed mosquitoes, the haul she turned in Wednesday came from a source of stagnant water in her home.
The 45-year-old housewife told AFP she woke up early to catch mosquito larvae growing in water in her flower pot. The 20 larvae earned her four pesos, enough for a tiny packet of cooking oil.
But like others waiting to trade in their catch, Estoque said the money was less important than the principle involved.
My child suffered from dengue before and I know how scary and difficult that is... that's why I'm participating in this project, she said.