- Oxitec, a developer of biological solutions to control pests that transmit disease, has been contracted by Socicam, operator of Brazil's major travel hubs, to protect thousands of travelers each day from biting mosquitoes.
- Oxitec's safe, proven and effective technology uses non-biting, self-limiting male mosquitoes to suppress Aedes aegypti, a dangerous mosquito that spreads dengue and other diseases.
OXFORD, England and CAMPINAS, Brazil, March 16, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Oxitec Ltd, the leading developer of biological solutions to control pests that transmit disease, destroy crops and harm livestock, announces today that Socicam, leader in the mobility infrastructure segment in Brazil, has chosen Oxitec's Friendly Aedes solution to protect passengers in the world's second largest bus terminal, the Tietê Terminal in São Paulo.
Tietê Terminal hosts 90,000 travelers each day, connecting São Paulo with more than 1,000 cities in 21 Brazilian states, as well as cities in Argentina, Chile, Paraguay, Peru and Uruguay.
Oxitec will deploy its Friendly Aedes - an environmentally-friendly and effective alternative to pesticides to control the dengue-transmitting mosquito, Aedes aegypti - across Tietê Terminal, running with immediate effect through the end of the 2021-22 mosquito season, with the aim of resuming deployments over the 22-23 season at the Tietê terminal and expanding to other bus terminals in São Paulo and other cities.
Aedes aegypti is an invasive mosquito responsible for transmitting diseases such as dengue, Zika, chikungunya and yellow fever. Unlike some other mosquitoes, Aedes aegypti readily flies and bites during the day, colonizes urban communities, and is difficult to control using conventional methods such as insecticide spraying. Between December 2021 and January 2022, the State of São Paulo recorded 4,961 cases of dengue. Chikungunya has also been a concern in the State, and an alert was issued by the Department of Health when the number of affected jumped from 281 in 2020 to 18,200 in 2021, an increase of more than 6,000%.
Grey Frandsen, Oxitec's CEO, said, "We're immensely proud of this vote of confidence in our Friendly mosquito solution from one of Brazil's most forward-thinking companies, which highlights the demand in Brazil for highly effective, environmentally sustainable alternatives to pesticides for the management of disease-spreading mosquitoes."
Natalia Verza Ferreira, Oxitec's Country Director in Brazil, said, "Socicam and Oxitec share values and principles, as both companies prioritize sustainable practices while working day and night in the service of communities. Deploying our Friendly Aedes solution to control the dengue mosquito in a highly urbanized area like the Tietê terminal will benefit thousands of people every day while they commute between work and home, to visit friends and family or to leave for well-deserved holidays. It will be an honor to deploy our technology with the Socicam team to protect this important public space and its community from the dangerous Aedes aegypti."
About Oxitec
Oxitec is the leading developer of insect-based biological solutions to control pests that transmit disease, destroy crops and harm livestock. Founded in 2002 at the University of Oxford, Oxitec is led by a passionate team comprised of 15 nationalities and is supported by world-class partners. Learn more at oxitec.com.
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