Jul 15, 2008 8:33 pm US/Eastern
DPH Finds More West Nile Mosquitoes In Brookline
A second pool of West Nile mosquitoes has been detected in Brookline this summer, the Massachusetts Department of Public Health announced Tuesday, making it the third sample in the state to test positive for the virus this summer.
The virus was first detected in Brookline last week. A mosquito sample from Worcester also tested positive for West Nile Virus earlier this month.
According to the DPH, the second Brookline sample was collected on July 11 from the same location as the first sample.
The health department is urging people to use bug spray when going outside to avoid being bitten by mosquitoes.
Last summer there were six reported human cases of the West Nile Virus in Massachusetts.
The Department of Public Health issued the following advisory on avoiding mosquito bites:
Avoid Mosquito Bites:• Be Aware of Peak Mosquito Hours. The hours from dusk to dawn are peak biting times for many mosquitoes. Consider rescheduling outdoor activities that occur during evening or early morning. Otherwise, take extra care to use repellent and protective clothing.
• Clothing Can Help Reduce Mosquito Bites. Although it may be difficult to do when it's hot, wearing long-sleeves, long pants and socks when outdoors will help keep mosquitoes away from your skin.
• Apply Insect Repellent when you go outdoors. Use a repellent with DEET (N, N-diethyl-m-toluamide), permethrin, picaridin (KBR 3023), oil of lemon eucalyptus [p-methane 3, 8-diol (PMD)] or IR3535 (as contained in Skin-So-Soft Bug Guard Plus IR3535®) according to the instructions on the product label. DEET products should not be used on infants under two months of age and should be used in concentrations of 30% or less on older children. Oil of lemon eucalyptus should not be used on children under three years of age.
Mosquito-Proof Your Home • Drain Standing Water. Mosquitoes lay their eggs in standing water. Limit the number of places around your home for mosquitoes to breed by either draining or getting rid of items that hold water. Check rain gutters and drains. Empty any unused flowerpots and wading pools, and change water in birdbaths frequently.
• Install or Repair Screens. Some mosquitoes like to come indoors. Keep them outside by having tightly-fitting screens on all of your windows and doors.
Report Dead Birds • Dead crows, blue jays or robins may be a sign that WNV is circulating among the birds and mosquitoes in an area. Call 1-866-MASS WNV to report a dead bird. By reporting dead birds, you can play an important role in monitoring WNV.
Click to enlarge
Stumble It!
Comments