Control measures maintained for African giant snail in Camagüey
The control measures related to the giant African snail are still in place in the province of Camagüey, where no new specimens of the mollusk have appeared for more than a week.
On May 31, the first outbreak was identified in the Torre Blanca distribution of this city, and to date 784 molluscs have been found in the territory, 780 of them in the eastern health area, which includes the Torre Blanca and La Esperanza neighborhoods, and four in the municipality of Najasa, southeast of Camagüey.
Since the appearance of the snail, the temporary working group has been functioning, based on indications from the Provincial Defence Council, and the corresponding measures were adopted in each case, explained Roxana García Domínguez, head of the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Centre, to ACN.
She added that specialists and directors were trained on the characteristics of the species and the effects on human and plant health, as well as public health hearings.
At the same time, she said, the Civil Defense, the provincial delegation of Agriculture and Public Health offer daily monitoring of the issue as well as the public health hearings.
In the event of any suspicion of the presence of mollusk, the population must inform the nearest health area to carry out the studies that will confirm whether it is the African snail, or call the Risk Reduction Center of each municipality.
The Command Post created in the delegation of agriculture in the territory, is another place where people can a come, added the specialist.
This mollusk can reach up to 20 centimeters long and 10 centimeters wide, and it is identified with longitudinal bands of light and dark colors, bright and bright shades and it is located mainly on plants and walls.
It also lives in decomposing elements and humid and shady places, hence the importance of cleaning courtyards and gardens to avoid solid waste.
The African snail is one of the 100 most damaging invasive alien species in the world and it impacts some 200 plant species, and it is characterized by high resistance to environmental variables and high reproductive potential.
It can cause serious diseases, including bronchitis, intestinal disorders, meningitis and encephalitis, thus posing a risk to human and animal health.
Written by Radio Grito de Baire
