Reggio Emilia Launches Emergency Disinfestation After Confirmed Dengue Case

Emergency Zones and Treatment Areas

Following a request from the Ausl of Reggio Emilia’s Public Health and Hygiene Service, the Mayor issued an urgent ordinance targeting two primary areas. The first zone covers approximately 100 meters including via Bismantova, via Rivoluzione d’ottobre, via Romolo Gessi, via Vasco da Gama, and via Vittorio Bottego. A second 100-meter radius zone includes via Tassoni, viale Risorgimento, and via Gian Giacomo Rousseau.

The Three-Phase Vector Control Plan

The regional arbovirus surveillance plan mandates a specific three-step intervention within 100 meters of any suspected or confirmed case:

• Adulticide Treatment: Intensive spraying to reduce the active mosquito population, conducted over three consecutive nights in public road areas.
• Private Property Removal: Door-to-door interventions to identify and eliminate larval breeding sites in private courtyards and gardens.
• Public Infrastructure Larvicides: Repeated application of larvicides within the public sewage and drainage systems.

Public Safety Protocols and Resident Requirements

The municipal administration, via IRENambiente, requires residents, building managers, and business owners to grant technicians access to private courtyards and gardens for larval removal and treatment. To ensure safety during overnight street spraying, the city has issued the following directives:

• Home Security: Keep windows and doors closed during the night and disable air exchange systems.
• Pet Safety: Keep pets indoors and cover outdoor shelters, bowls, and water troughs with plastic sheeting.
• Public Space Restrictions: Public parks, green areas, and dog walking zones within the 100-meter radius are closed for the duration of the treatments and for 48 hours following the final intervention.

Food and Surface Decontamination Guidelines

The ordinance provides specific instructions for handling produce and outdoor items exposed to insecticides. Fruit and vegetables from gardens must be hermetically protected during treatment. If produce is sprayed, residents must wait three days before consumption, wash the items thoroughly, and peel any fruit.

Outdoor furniture and children’s toys exposed to the treatment must be cleaned using washable gloves. In the event of accidental skin contact with the insecticide, the city advises washing the affected area immediately with soap and water.

Dengue Fever Prevention and Response