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The Delaware General Health District uses an Integrated Pest
Management Program to protect the local population from
mosquito-borne diseases such as West Nile Virus and La Crosse
Encephalitis. This program includes:
• Public education: The local health district promotes the
Ohio Department of Health’s “Fight the Bite” information campaign.
All residents are asked to help “Fight the Bite” by eliminating
mosquito breeding pools and taking personal precautions against
bites. For information or a group presentation, phone the health
district at 740-368-1700.
• Abatement of breeding pools: Emptying water from
containers, tires, tarpaulins and other collection spots is the
most effective way to prevent mosquito-borne diseases. The health
district offers advice on how to dry up places where mosquitoes
can breed.
• Larviciding: Large areas of shallow standing water can be
treated with larvicide to kill mosquito larvae. Property owners
can buy larvicide (marketed as “Mosquito Dunks”) at hardware
stores. In some instances, health district personnel can assist in
larviciding large wet areas on publicly owned land.
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Surveillance:
The Environmental Health staff traps mosquitoes nightly during
warm-weather months and submits them to the state laboratory for
disease testing. The staff also logs citizen reports about dead
crows and blue jays, birds which are susceptible to West Nile
Virus. Bird carcasses are no longer being collected for disease
testing.
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Fogging:
The Health District fogs neighborhoods to kill mosquitoes when a
mosquito-borne human disease is detected, either through the above
surveillance methods or when a human disease case is confirmed.
Delaware General Health District employees certified as pesticide
applicators, supervise the use of the fogging machines, which are
carried on the Health District’s marked white pickup trucks with
amber beacons. The fogging is done on public streets and roads and
other publicly owned property.
Anyone who does not want fogging at their residence can call the
Health District at 740-368-1700 to be placed on the “no-fog list.”
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Protect yourself against mosquito bites!
Mosquitoes are most active in the early evening, so avoid going
outside during these hours. If you must go out, protect yourself
against bites by wearing light-colored long-sleeved clothing and
mosquito repellant containing DEET or Picaridin.
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