Christian Peterson
reporter.riverbendnews@gmail.com
On Tuesday, July 15, the Florida Department of Health in Lafayette County released an advisory notice informing residents that the Easter equine encephalitis virus, known to be spread through infected mosquitoes, was detected in a group of sick emus. “As there is a risk of transmission to humans, continued awareness and preventative measures are important,” the release states.
There are a few ways to repel mosquitoes and protect yourself. The most obvious way is to apply bug repellent. Read the label and directions carefully before use. Be sure to apply the repellent to exposed skin or clothing, but not underneath clothing. Furthermore, treat clothing and gear with products containing 0.5 percent permethrin, but do not apply it directly to the skin; use it only on clothing and gear. Finally, as a reminder, verify that the repellent is suitable for children, as not all repellents are ageappropriate.
Another aspect is to prevent mosquitoes from breeding. They can live indoors and will bite at any time, day or night. Mosquitoes tend to lay eggs in and around standing water. In fact, as little as one teaspoon or a bottle cap of water left for one week is long enough for mosquitoes to breed and multiply. Good advice is to make weekly checks around your residence and empty or cover anything that can hold water, such as buckets, toys, child pools, pool covers, birdbaths, trash containers, recycling bins, car covers, coolers, pet dishes and even tires. As a final reminder to prevent mosquitoes invading your house: use air conditioning and keep screens on all your windows.
