Vehicles carrying out mosquito-fogging activities in response to the increase in the mosquito population.
PHILIPSBURG--The Health Ministry’s Collective Prevention Services (CPS) said on Thursday its mosquito-fogging campaign, which began recently has moved into high gear and is progressing well.
Fogging has already been completed in Middle Region, Sucker Garden, Defiance, Belvedere and Bishop Hill. From yesterday, Thursday to this Sunday, fogging will be done in Dutch Quarter, Zorg and Rust, Union Farm, Nazareth, A. Th. Illidge Road, Hope Estate, Guana Bay, Pointe Blanche, Fort Willem, Great Bay, Rabbit Hill, Welgelegen, AJC Brouwer Road, LB Scott Road, Bush Road, the Villa, Zagersgut Road, Coralita Road, Mary’s Fancy, and Cul de Sac. Fogging will be done from 6:00am to 8:00am or from 6:00pm to 8:30pm. Residents can report an increase of mosquito activity in their area by calling tel. 520-2874.
Residents in residential areas where fogging is taking place are urged to leave all doors and windows open to allow the insecticide to enter their building or house; prevent pets from coming in contact with the insecticide; toys for children should be covered, stored away and washed as caution to ensure protection; all water containers and foodstuffs, etc. must be well protected from exposure to the fogging.
Due to the recent rain activity, the vector control measure of mosquito fogging was postponed, and the public should keep this in mind if there is a rain event, no fogging will take place, CPS said in a press release.
CPS urges residents to continue to destroy mosquito-breeding spots; dress appropriately by wearing light-coloured clothing at dusk, long-sleeve shirts and pants and defend against being bitten by a mosquito by using repellent.
Residents should actively and properly dispose of tin cans, old tires, empty paint cans, buckets, old saucers, flowerpots, cemetery urns/vase, old pet dishes, unused plastic swimming pools or other containers that collect and hold water. “Empty and turn over containers that hold water; remove debris from rain gutters and downspouts regularly; drain or fill low places on your property where water collects and stands for more than five to seven days; make sure permanent water containers in your yard are tightly covered and insect-proof; screen off the cistern’s outlets properly with mesh wire,” CPS advised.
“Cover trash containers/garbage cans to keep rainwater from accumulating; drain old tires by recycling them; keep boats and canoes/kayaks drained, covered or overturned, empty or covered unused swimming pools.”
CPS said it is important to check around one’s yard at home or around one’s business to make sure there is no clear or clean standing water after a rain event to prevent mosquito- breeding sites. Residents are advised to remove all potential mosquito-breeding sites to reduce the mosquito population.
The Aedes Aegypti mosquito lays her eggs in clear (clean) stagnant water. Within eight days the mosquito can complete its life cycle from egg, to larvae to pupae and to adult mosquito.
For additional information on mosquito-breeding site elimination measures, call CPS at tel. 542-1122, 542-1123 or 542-3553
