NEW ORLEANS – The City of New Orleans Mosquito, Termite and Rodent Control Board (NOMTRCB) reports that mosquitoes collected from the East Bank of Orleans Parish this week tested positive for West Nile Virus (WNV). WNV alternates between wild birds and mosquitoes and can be transmitted to humans through the bite of an infected mosquito. No human cases of WNV have been reported in Orleans Parish.
Treatments will be delivered tonight by airplane in the area bounded by Lakeshore Drive, Inner Harbor Canal, Mirabeau Avenue through Harrison Avenue, and the Parish Line from 8:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. weather permitting. The applications this evening are directed against the “southern house mosquito” Culex quinquefasciatus, the main carrier of the West Nile virus in our region. While the majority of human West Nile infections are asymptomatic, common symptoms can include a headache, aching limbs, joint pain, vomiting, diarrhea, or a rash. In rare cases, the virus can cause serious symptoms, especially in people who are over 65 years of age or who are immunocompromised.
The NOMTRCB urges people to protect themselves from mosquito bites by restricting outdoor activities between dusk and dawn, using EPA-approved insect repellants, and making homes mosquito-proof by maintaining screens on windows and doors.
We ask residents to be vigilant when emptying water-filled containers around the house and yard in order to reduce mosquito breeding grounds. Every week, change the water in containers that cannot be removed, e.g. B. in bird baths, sugar kettles, pools and ponds. It takes seven days for mosquitoes to grow from egg to adult, so it is important to inspect the outside area around the house every week. Remove trash and clutter, including tires, buckets, tarps, and any other items that can collect water. Make sure swimming pools and fountains are working and that the water is circulating.
For more information on West Nile Virus, visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website: http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvbid/westnile/qa/prevention.htm.
SAFETY TIPS
Protect yourself
- Limit outdoor activities between dusk and dawn.
- Use air conditioning and make sure window and door grilles don’t have holes to keep mosquitoes out.
- Wear long-sleeved shirts and pants if you are outside for long periods of time.
- Use insect repellants with EPA registered agents, including DEET, picaridin, IR3535, or lemon eucalyptus oil.
- When using insect repellant, always follow the recommendations on the product label.
Protect your home
- Eliminate standing water around your home.
- Remove trash and clutter, and dispose of discarded tires and containers that can hold water. Turn over paddling pools, buckets, trash cans, children’s toys, or anything that could collect water.
- Change the water in containers that cannot be removed, such as a cup of water, every week. B. animal bowls or bird baths. Scrub the side of the containers with soap and a sponge to remove any eggs.
- Rain barrels and other water collection devices must be sieved and the collected water should be used within a week.
- Ventilate ornamental pools, fountains, and sugar kettles, or stock them with fish.
- Report illegal dumping, water leaks and unattended swimming pools by calling 311.
- Call 311 or email Moskitocontrol@nola.gov to report mosquito problems.
Report tires
- The tires can easily be filled with rainwater and collect leaves and waste, which provides ideal breeding conditions for mosquito larvae. Removing scrap tires will eliminate a productive mosquito habitat.
- Residents can call 311 to request a bulky waste pickup of up to four tires. Tires should be stacked on the side of the road next to the city-issued dumpsters.
- Tires in front of abandoned properties, uninhabited properties or shops cannot and will not be picked up. This issue is currently being addressed through city-coordinated, collaborative treatment and removal efforts
Report mosquito problems
Residents are encouraged to contact NOMTCB at (504) 658-2400 or Moskitocontrol@nola.gov with any other questions or concerns about mosquitoes.
Follow NOMTRCB on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter @nolamosquito.
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