Bahrain’s health authorities are fielding up to 50 fly complaints a day, compared with 20 normally, said a senior government official.

Bahrain has spent BD60,000 ($159,000) had been spent on pesticides so far this year, which was double the amount spent in the whole of last year, said Health Ministry Entomology Department head Abdul Aziz Al Khudry.

"We have already spent BD60,000 until now, compared to BD30,000 last year," he added.

"We are now studying the problem, as it has increased this season. Our department now receives 50 complaints per day compared to only 20 calls a day normally."

He added that 17 inspectors and 60 pest controllers were out in force across the country to tackle the problem.

A mini heat wave, combined with an overloaded sewerage system and increasing amounts of garbage on the streets, could be responsible for swarms of flies in parts of Manama, said a report in our sister publication, the Gulf Daily News.

"We received more complaints from Manama, as the population is higher in that area," he said yesterday.

"People are suffering and this problem will continue until the end of summer. The problem is much worse compared to previous years. We are now awaiting the results of a study (on the different species of flies in Bahrain) carried out in June and July. It will be out by the end of September."

He revealed that health inspectors were working in tandem with the Municipalities and Agriculture Ministry to tackle the problem.

"Our teams are dealing with the problem every day - inspectors and pest controllers are out and working around the clock to tackle the phenomenon," added Al Khudry.

"They are working on daily programmes lined up by the ministry. We are also co-operating with municipalities, as half the job is done by them. They have to collect garbage and unwanted or undesired waste, which is dumped near houses, buildings, shops and on open ground,” he concluded. – TradeArabia News Service