VIENTIANE, Aug. 11 (Xinhua) -- Laos has taken a bold step in its ongoing fight against dengue fever by releasing Wolbachia-infected mosquitoes, a safe and effective method to reduce dengue incidence, across seven districts of Lao capital Vientiane.

The project was officially launched at Patuxay Park, with Lao Minister of Health Baikham Khattiya in attendance, along with local and international leaders, community health workers, and residents, Lao News Agency reported on Monday.

Dengue fever continues to impact many families across Laos, especially during the rainy season.

As of Aug. 5, Laos has reported 5,615 cases of dengue fever, including one death. The highest number of cases was recorded in Vientiane, which reported 2,746 infections.

Wolbachia is a natural and safe bacteria that reduce the ability of Dengue-carrying Aedes aegypti mosquitoes to transmit viruses between people. The bacteria-carrying mosquitoes breed with the wild Aedes aegypti mosquitoes in the area, passing Wolbachia to their offspring.

This program follows the success of a pilot project in 2022, which involved the deployment of Wolbachia mosquitoes in several areas in Vientiane, protecting 32 villages and nearly 86,000 people. ■