Public urged to reduce mosquito population, prevent mosquito-borne disease

The Commonwealth Healthcare Corp.’s Environmental Health and Disease Prevention encourages the community to take steps to help reduce the local mosquito population and prevent mosquito-borne disease, such as dengue especially during the rainy season. Dengue is a viral disease mainly spread to people by the bite of an infected Aedes mosquito.

According to the U.S. Centers of Disease Control and Prevention, dengue is a common disease globally with outbreaks reported in regions such as the Caribbean, Central and South Americas, Southeast Asia, and Pacific Islands.

The best way to prevent spread dengue is to avoid mosquito bites.

To prevent mosquito bites, it is recommended to wear light-colored, loose-fitting clothing during outdoor activities as mosquitos are attracted to dark colors. When practical, wear long-sleeves and pants when going outdoors. When using mosquito repellent, proper application of mosquito repellents that contain 20% to 30% DEET as the active ingredient on exposed skin and clothing also reduces the risk of being bitten by mosquitoes.

The community is urged to take preventative measures like eliminating mosquito breeding sites. You can do this by:

Cleaning up of all debris, especially those that can hold water.

Disposing loose tires.

Cleaning pet water dishes regularly.

Cleaning, emptying, and properly screening or covering containers used to store water.

Clearing roof gutters of debris.

Properly disposing of all bottles, cans, buckets, and other containers that can collect water.

Plugging tree holes.

Repairing leaky outdoor faucets so not to create standing water.

Changing the water frequently in flower vases and other containers that routinely contain water, including pet dishes.

CHCC-EHDP conducts routine surveillance of adult mosquito population to identify disease carrying species, track mosquito abundance and determine needs for intervention. CHCC-EHDP also responds to mosquito complaints related to excessive breeding sites from improper waste disposal.

For more information about dengue, visit https://www.cdc.gov/dengue/about/index.html. To contact the EHDP office, call 670-236-22022/27/28 or email john.tagabuel@chcc.health. (PR)