4.26.2017: Prevent Mosquito Growth to Protect Against Zika and Other Mosquito Borne Diseases
News
Release
April
26, 2017
Contacts:
Jose
Rodriguez, Director of Public Affairs and Communications, Columbus Public
Health [email protected]
or (614) 604-5025
Mitzi
Kline, Director of Communication for Franklin County Public Health [email protected]
or (614) 374-1924 (cell)
Prevent
Mosquito Growth to Protect Against Zika and Other Mosquito Borne Diseases
Mosquito
season has arrived and both Franklin County and Columbus Public Health are
already hard at work treating standing water to prevent mosquitoes from
breeding.
“Anything
that holds even a small amount of water for a few days is a perfect place for
mosquitoes to breed,” said Joe Mazzola, Franklin County Health Commissioner.
“Once eggs are laid, a new crop of mosquitoes can hatch, grow and emerge from
the water as adults in as little as one week.”
Residents can help
public health combat mosquitoes with a few simple steps:
Empty, remove, cover or turn
over containers that can hold water.
- Treat rain barrels every month
with Mosquito Dunks.
- Change the water in wading
pools weekly and store indoors when not in use.
- Properly dispose of old tires.
- Empty planters and bird baths
often.
- Empty and refill pets’ watering
dishes daily.
- Use sand to plug holes in trees
where water can collect.
- Repair leaky pipes and outside
faucets.
- Make sure gutters and
downspouts are free of leaves and debris, and are properly draining.
- Drain or fill low areas on your
property that hold water for more than five days.
- Remind or help neighbors eliminate breeding sites on
their property.
“Mosquitoes
can carry diseases such as Zika and West Nile, so it’s important to eliminate
standing water as soon as possible to reduce their growth,” says Columbus
Public Health Commissioner Dr. Teresa Long. “What residents do today will be
critical to the number of mosquitoes in our community this summer.”
Additionally,
residents can protect themselves by using insect repellant containing DEET,
wearing protective clothing at dawn or dusk, and repairing window screens in
order to reduce their risk.
For
more information on mosquito prevention, visit [email protected] or www.myfcph.org/mosquito.
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