As part of its Phase Two response to the Zika Virus, the Ministry of Health will be focusing on proper drum coverage to reduce mosquito breeding. Data collected by the Ministry’s Environmental Health Unit have shown that 45 to 55 gallon drums used to store water for domestic use are among the main mosquito breeding sites.
The focus will be on how persons can deal with these containers and properly cover them to prevent mosquitoes from entering and laying their eggs. With the assistance of Food for the Poor, the Ministry of Health will provide fifty thousand (50,000) drum covers which will be distributed to high risk communities.
Recently, Minister of Health Dr. the Hon. Christopher Tufton said “we will also have dialogue with the private sector to see how we can have these drum covers manufactured and made available through hardware stores.”
If you do not have drum covers, persons are being urged to ensure that drums used for storing water are tightly covered with plastic or mesh; and treat water collected in open drums once per week with three drops of cooking oil to form a film over the water to kill mosquito larvae.
Meanwhile, Minister Tufton also said that Health Officials will be “working with the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries to re-institute environmental control strategies through the use of tiki tiki fish in large containers that store water such as tanks to prevent mosquito breeding”. The tiki tiki fish will be made available through the Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA).
Persons are also urged to look around their homes, schools, workplaces and churches once per week for at least ten (10) minutes at a time for any container that can hold water and dispose of it, punch holes in it or keep it dry.
Individuals who wish to obtain more information may call the Ministry of Health or the nearest health centre. Persons may also visit our website at moh.gov.jm and like and follow us on www.facebook.com/themohgovjm; https://twitter.com/themohgovjm; https://instagram.com/themohgovjm.