Niefer detailed that different types of mosquitoes, including those common in urban and rural areas, proliferate with the combination of rain and increasing temperatures. To address this, the Tunis municipality has adopted a three-tiered approach. Especially, for rural areas, the municipality’s efforts are part of a national insect control plan that expands to several other regions, including Sfax, Sousse, and Kairouan.
Concentrating on the Sijoumi swamp, a breeding ground for the bothersome “washwash” mosquito that thrives with warmer weather and stagnant rainwater, he clarified that control measures are implemented in multiple ways. These include terrestrial methods along the lake’s banks, the use of boats to disperse pesticides directly into the water, and, occasionally, aerial spraying.
Our speaker also warned about certain mosquito species known to carry diseases. Nevertheless, he reassured that these types are not prevalent in large numbers and underscored that the year-round control efforts are aimed at preventing any potential disease transmission.