by InTrieste
Authorities in Trieste will carry out a three-day emergency mosquito control operation beginning Sunday after health officials confirmed a case of dengue in the city’s Viale XX Settembre area.
The preventive disinfestation campaign will take place from 4:00 a.m. to 5:30 a.m. on Aug. 30, 31 and Sept. 1, covering a 200-meter radius around Viale XX Settembre 69, including the Maggiore Hospital and surrounding neighborhoods.
The measures were ordered by Mayor Roberto Dipiazza following confirmation of the case by the Prevention Department of Trieste’s local health authority, ASUGI. Officials said the intervention is intended to eliminate adult mosquitoes and larval breeding sites to reduce the risk of local transmission.
Residents asked to stay indoors
During the early morning spraying, residents and businesses within the affected zone are instructed to:
- Remain indoors with windows and doors closed.
- Switch off ventilation and air-exchange systems.
- Keep pets inside and cover food and water bowls.
- Harvest or cover fruit and vegetables in private gardens before treatment.
After spraying, authorities recommend cleaning outdoor furniture, children’s toys and other exposed surfaces while wearing gloves, and washing thoroughly with soap and water in the event of accidental contact with the insecticide.
Ongoing mosquito prevention
Beginning Monday morning, crews will also conduct door-to-door larval control treatments and inspect public drainage areas, weather permitting. Residents are required to continue removing standing water from private properties in the coming weeks, including balconies, courtyards, gardens and uncovered containers where mosquitoes can breed.
The municipal ordinance also calls for regular maintenance of drains, grass cutting, and the treatment or emptying of unused pools, fountains and water-collecting containers.
Temporary road closures
To allow the operation to proceed safely, vehicle traffic will be prohibited between approximately 3:30 a.m. and 6:00 a.m. on all three days across streets within the treatment zone, including sections of Viale XX Settembre, Via Francesco Crispi, Via della Ginnastica, Via Pietro Kandler, Campo San Luigi, and several connecting roads.
Emergency vehicles, law enforcement and the disinfestation teams will be exempt from the restrictions. Local police will assist with traffic control throughout the operation.
Dengue is a viral disease transmitted by infected mosquitoes and is not spread directly from person to person. While most cases are associated with travel to tropical and subtropical regions, Italian health authorities routinely implement localized mosquito control measures whenever a confirmed case is identified to prevent further transmission.
