RIYADH, 12 November 2006 — Deputy Minister for Municipal and Rural Affairs Prince Mansoor ibn Miteb said yesterday that the cases of dengue fever in Jeddah and Makkah were “under control.” The prince was inaugurating a three-day workshop entitled, “Mosquitoes Transmit Dengue Fever.”
He said various government agencies under instructions from Minister of Municipal and Rural Affairs Prince Miteb were continuing efforts to combat the disease which had appeared in some areas of Jeddah.
“The support given to the Municipality of Jeddah in excess of SR1.4 billion will continue so we can combat the disease and reach an environmental solution that will safeguard all citizens and residents in the region and in other regions of the Kingdom,” he said.
Prince Mansoor went on to say that an additional sum of SR7 billion had been allocated to Jeddah Municipality for the finalization of the city’s sewage systems.
Speaking about the workshop, the prince said that several scientific research papers would be read and discussed. He also said the workshop would illustrate the experience of some municipalities in combating the spread of disease, especially by eliminating mosquitoes that transmit dengue fever as well as other diseases.
For his part, Jeddah Mayor Adel Fakieh said that 209 cases of dengue fever had been recorded in Makkah and Jeddah since the beginning of this year. He added that the number of cases in the Western Region had increased to 80 cases per week.
According to the mayor, the disease spread in Jeddah quickly because “the majority of districts do not have a sewage system” and because of standing water in the city.
He said that several projects had been approved by the municipality, “some of which are immediate and others term projects in order to combat dengue fever and eliminate the insects that carry the disease.”
