Joel's house has a flower pot and an old cooler, and rain water stands in both for many days…
Contributed by StemPy LabTry it on paper first. A hint, the key idea and the worked solution are here when you need them.
Joel's house has a flower pot and an old cooler, and rain water stands in both for many days. Dengue and malaria are common in his town. Explain why standing water matters, and what Joel's family should do.
Need a reminder? The key ideaShow
Infectious diseases are caused by viruses, bacteria, fungi, protozoa and worms. They spread through the air, water and food, contact and blood, from mother to child, and by vectors such as the female Anopheles mosquito and the housefly. The organ where the microbe settles decides the signs: the lungs, the liver or the brain.
The worked solution
Have you tried it?
Work it out on paper first. It is fine to get stuck or make a mistake: that is how we learn. When you are ready, go through the solution one step at a time, and check each step against your own.
Step 1. The link. Mosquitoes lay their eggs in standing water. Standing water gives them a place to breed.
Step 2. The danger. Some of these mosquitoes are vectors. A female Aedes spreads dengue, and a female Anopheles spreads malaria, when she bites an ill person and then a healthy one.
Step 3. The action. Empty and dry the pot and cooler, and keep water covered or drained. Fewer mosquitoes means fewer cases.
Answer: standing water lets vectors breed, so it should be removed.
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