Monday, August 9, 2010

Mosquito Advisory

Mosquito Advisory

Contact:
Al Gray, MPH
Environmental Health Manager
Hernando County Health Dept.
352-540-6802
or
Guangye Hu, Ph.D.
Hernando County Mosquito Control
352-754-4060

Local Health Experts Caution Residents About
Mosquito-Borne Illness

Brooksville- State surveillance data has indicated a continued rise in mosquito-borne illness cases, such as West Nile virus (WNV), Eastern Equine Encephalitis(EEE)and Highlands J virus (HJV). Recently a number of horses, birds and now, two people have died from such illnesses in nearby counties.

Hernando County Mosquito Control and the Hernando County Health Department want to remind area residents and visitors to be vigilant about mosquito bite prevention.

According to Dr. Guangye Hu, Hernando Mosquito Control Director, “residents can reduce the risk of being bitten by mosquitoes by following the 5 D’s for prevention. These prevention steps include:

¨ Dawn and Dusk- Avoid being outdoors when mosquitoes are seeking blood. For many species, this is during the dusk and dawn hours.
¨ Dress- Wear clothing that covers most of your skin.
¨ DEET- When the potential exists for exposure to mosquitoes, repellents containing DEET (N, N-diethyl-meta-toluamide, or N, N-diethyl-3-methylbenzamide) are recommended. Picaridin and oil of lemon eucalyptus are other repellent options.
¨ Drain- Check around your home to rid the area of all standing water. Mosquitoes can lay their eggs in as little as 1/4" of water. Make sure that pools and spas have continuous circulation and appropriate chlorination to prevent mosquitoes from laying eggs.

For additional mosquito control information, visit http://www.hernandocounty.us/mosquito/

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