Itajaí and Tubarão in Brazil roll out new dengue‑prevention programs

The municipality of Itajaí has begun the communication and community‑engagement phase of the Wolbachia method, a mosquito‑based technology developed by Fiocruz and the Ministry of Health that blocks dengue, Zika and chikungunya viruses. After reporting a 93 % drop in dengue cases during the first half of 2026, the city will release Wolbachia‑infected Aedes aegypti in the neighborhoods of São João, São Vicente, Cordeiros and Cidade Nova from late August to early September, with weekly releases and ongoing monitoring through ovitraps.

In the neighboring city of Tubarão, the health department applied a long‑lasting residual insecticide inside high‑traffic public buildings, following the Ministry of Health’s indoor spraying protocol. This is the second of three annual cycles, aimed at creating a protective barrier against the mosquito as the city records a rise in mosquito breeding sites and confirmed dengue cases.

Both initiatives are part of Brazil’s broader effort to curb the spread of dengue, Zika and chikungunya through integrated vector‑control strategies.