The Ministry of Health through the Parish Health Departments continues to routinely fog selected areas to eliminate adult mosquitoes. Persons may contact the health department in their parish to report any area that they believe may need to be fogged. Persons are however reminded that fogging cannot be done during the rain and will continue once the rain has stopped.
The Ministry is also urging persons to destroy mosquito breeding sites and protect themselves from mosquito bites as the rainfall which is now being experienced is expected to result in an increase in the mosquito population.
Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Marion Bullock DuCasse says householders, school officials, churches and operators of business establishments should spend at least ten minutes per week to search for and destroy anything in which mosquitoes can breed.
“The mosquito population is expected to increase in light of the present rainfall especially since we were experiencing a drought. Mosquitoes can lay their eggs during the dry season and these will hatch as soon as enough water is available. The rainfall has facilitated that environment,” Dr. DuCasse said.
She says in light of this it is important that we do not create the environment for the Aedes aegypti mosquito, which spreads dengue and chikungunya, to breed and therefore need to keep our surroundings free of anything that can become mosquito breeding sites.
Individuals should get rid of mosquito breeding sites by looking for anything in which water can settle and either cover it, keep the area dry, clean it regularly, fill it with soil or sand, punch holes into it and recycle or properly dispose of it. If mesh is used to cover containers then the holes should be small enough so that mosquitoes cannot enter.
The Aedes aegypti mosquito transmits diseases including dengue and chikungunya.
For more information persons may contact the Ministry of Health or the nearest health centre and visit our website at moh.gov.jm. Also like and follow us on www.facebook.com/themohgovjm;https://twitter.com/themohgovjm; https://instagram.com/themohgovjm.