WELCOMED RAIN CAN BRING UNWANTED MOSQUITO ACTIVITY AHEAD OF WEST NILE VIRUS TREND
- Rainy weather has helped to clear smoke and to cool the Grand Valley down quite a bit, this week. It has also created potential breeding grounds for mosquitoes in our area.
- Mosquitoes that transmit West Nile virus (WNV) lay their eggs on the surface of standing water.
- More mosquitoes can mean a higher risk of transmission of WNV.
- WNV is a mosquito-transmitted infection that can cause fever, joint pain, vomiting, headache, rash, body aches, diarrhea or other serious complications.
- Mesa County Public Health and Grand River Mosquito Control District work together to monitor mosquito populations in Mesa County.
- The Culex mosquito population, the type of mosquito that transmits WNV, has been on the rise in our area since last month.
- We’re seeing higher populations when compared to this same time, last year.
- Although Mesa County does see cases of WNV early in the summer, most cases in the past five years have occurred in September.
- Take precautions to limit mosquitoes near your home and on your property.
- Drain standing water around your home at least once a week.
- Think about old tires, cans, flowerpots, bird baths, kiddie pools and clogged rain gutters – anything that could collect and hold rain water on your property.
- Drill holes in the bottoms of recycling containers that are kept outdoors.
- Clean vegetation and debris from the edges of ponds.
- Clip tall grass or weeds standing near your home or where people use your yard.
- Always take precautions to prevent mosquito bites, too.
- Use an Environmental Protection Agency approved insect repellent effective against mosquitoes such as DEET, Picaridin, IR3535, oil of lemon eucalyptus or 2-undecanone.
- Repellents should not be used on babies younger than two months.
- Avoid spraying repellent onto a child’s hands, eyes, mouth, cuts or irritated skin.
- Spray the repellent onto your hands and then put it on your child’s face.
- Products with oil of lemon eucalyptus or para-menthane-diol should not be used on children younger than three years.
- Wear long pants and long shirts whenever possible.
- Don’t schedule outdoor activities during dusk or dawn, when mosquitoes are most active.
- Use screens on windows and doors and repair holes to keep mosquitoes outside.
- Cover cribs, strollers and baby carriers with mosquito netting if you’re spending time outside.
- Use an Environmental Protection Agency approved insect repellent effective against mosquitoes such as DEET, Picaridin, IR3535, oil of lemon eucalyptus or 2-undecanone.
- Visit health.mesacounty.us and go to the “Illness & Injury” page to learn more about West Nile virus.
