Brazil intensifies Aedes aegypti combat through drones and research

Various Brazilian municipalities and state governments are intensifying efforts to combat Aedes aegypti, the mosquito responsible for transmitting dengue, zika, and chikungunya. In Minas Gerais, the state government has implemented the VigiDrones program, which has received over R$ 30 million in funding to support the use of unmanned aerial vehicles. A major operation in Uberaba recently mapped 7,000 hectares across 29 neighborhoods using drones to identify potential breeding sites such as untreated pools and uncovered water tanks.

Other regional actions include community mobilization in Marília, where health agents eliminated 17 breeding sites in the Jardim Marajó neighborhood, and a large-scale cleanup in Chapecó's Vila Real district that removed 233 potential sites. In Macaé, environmental surveillance has scheduled weekly community drives and educational activities in schools to control mosquitoes and rodents.

Simultaneously, scientific research is advancing in Minas Gerais. Researchers at the Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG) are working on innovative vaccines, including quadrivalent options to cover all dengue serotypes and mRNA technology to provide rapid biological responses to outbreaks.