From Orange County Mosquito Control
As forecast, Tropical Storm Colin brought heavy downpours to our region. Now that the rain has safely passed, Orange County Mosquito Control is asking for the community’s help to disperse any small collections of water in areas near your home such as gutters, pool covers, flower pots, cups and tires.
The mosquito known to transmit the Zika virus likes to live near houses and breed in small containers of water. With summer temperatures on the rise, it is important to disperse small collections points at least once a week. Fortunately, Tropical Storm Colin brought rain amounts similar to that of Florida’s summer afternoon storms, so mosquito control operations remain similar to that of regular efforts this time of year.
In recent years, Orange County Mosquito Control proactively stepped up efforts to combat mosquito-borne illnesses, to include dengue fever and chikungunya. These efforts are the same as those used to combat the mosquito that carries the Zika virus.
Here is research from the Orange County website on mosquito control:
HOW YOU CAN PREVENT MOSQUITO-BORNE DISEASE?
- Drain standing or still water to help eliminate breeding.
- Apply insect repellants containing DEET (N,N-diethyl-m-toluamide) to repel mosquitoes.
- Wear long sleeves, pants and socks to prevent bites.
ORANGE COUNTY MOSQUITO CONTROL TOOLS:
Orange County uses the latest technology and methods including:
- Truck-mounted spraying with insecticides approved by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and state of Florida.
- Surveillance using 27 special traps checked three times per week helps to identify the types of mosquitoes and estimate population size.
- Daily inspection and treatment of breeding sites.
- Public education on prevention of mosquito-borne diseases.
ORANGE COUNTY MOSQUITO CONTROL PROACTIVELY WORKS TO COMBAT:
- West Nile virus (WNV)
- Louis Encephalitis (SLE)
- Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE)
- Dengue Fever
- Chikungunya Virus
- Zika Virus
Orange County hosts a mosquito control safety video and other collateral produced by the CDC. To see the video, go here.
