“Parts of the United States that once had steady precipitation are now experiencing periods of drought punctuated by heavy rainfall. Sudden deluges leave behind puddles of standing water—moisture that mosquitoes need to hatch their eggs. In addition, hotter weather is shortening these eggs’ incubation times, increasing the overall mosquito population. Female mosquitoes are the ones that bite, and warmer weather makes them more likely to do so.” For the rest of the article from the National Resource Defense Council, please visit the link below:
https://www.nrdc.org/stories/climate-change-bites?gclid=Cj0KCQjwtpDMBRC4ARIsADhz5O77pxziJinrMJzvQ4bT-F4GFHjub3rBfSNaO0XdZ5sDIuPHQmAux4AaAiGcEALw_wcB
The New Orleans Health Department would like to remind everyone of the importance of keeping their facilities and homes as mosquito-free as possible.
This is important to prevent the spread of mosquito-borne diseases such as Zika, dengue, and West Nile virus. Mosquitoes in New Orleans are able to carry and infect humans with all three diseases. Zika has been proven to be transmitted through unprotected sex.
In order to help you become mosquito-free, the Healthy Environments team at the New Orleans Health Department is happy to visit your facility and offer a number of services.
The New Orleans Health Department can provide mosquito education training which discusses the importance of a mosquito-free environment, risk factors for disease, and personal protection methods.
Additionally, the New Orleans Health Department can provide mosquito repellent or an inspection of your facility to help you make sure that you are doing everything possible to be healthy and mosquito-free.
If your organization is hosting an event and would like for the New Orleans Health Department to attend the event and provide information to participants, please send an email to [email protected] or call (504) 669-2659.
To help keep you and your community safe, follow the tips outlined in the PDF in the link below:
Zika1info
Following a review of existing research on Zika virus, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has concluded that Zika virus causes microcephaly and other severe brain defects in babies. The CDC finding was published in the New England Journal of Medicine.
In their review, researchers looked at studies conducted in Brazil and French Polynesia during recent outbreaks of Zika virus. In September 2015, researchers in Brazil reported an increasing in the number of infants with microcephaly. French Polynesia noted a similar increase of this brain defect during an outbreak there in 2013 and 2014.
One Brazilian study of 88 pregnant women infected with Zika who underwent prenatal ultrasonography testing found fetal abnormalities in 29 percent of the cases.
The CDC is concerned that the American public is not well-informed or well-prepared with regard to the Zika virus despite its best efforts. An Associated Press poll found that four out of 10 Americans have heard little or nothing at all about Zika virus.
Ninety percent of Americans who have heard of Zika know it can be spread through the bite of a mosquito carrying the virus but only 57 percent were aware the virus can be spread through sexual intercourse with an infected person.
To date, Americans infected with Zika have acquired it through travel to countries with active mosquito-borne transmission of the virus. The CDC has posted travel warnings for Americans traveling to these Latin American and Caribbean countries.
The CDC has advised women who are pregnant or hoping to become pregnant to avoid travel to Zika- affected areas. It has also expanded the initial guidance to include women’s partners, as it has become more clear that the virus is spread through sexual contact.
Currently, the mosquitoes that carry the virus, Aedes aegyptiand Aedes albopictus, are present in at least 30 U.S. states, according to the CDC. Since no vaccine exists to prevent Zika, the agency is recommending the following preventive measures:
Wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants to prevent mosquito bites.
Stay in places with air conditioning or that use window and door screens to keep mosquitoes outside.
Use insect repellents, even if pregnant or breast-feeding.
Treat clothing with permethrin.
Prevent sexual transmission by using condoms or abstaining from sex.
Reviewed by Dr. David Priest, medical director for infection prevention and antimicrobial stewardship, Novant Health
Article above courtesy Novant Health:
https://www.novanthealth.org/home/about-us/newsroom/healthy-headlines/articleid/279/protect-yourself-from-zika-this-mosquito-season.aspx?mobilewidthcheck=y
The New Orleans Mosquito, Termite and Rodent Control Board works to enhance the quality of life in New Orleans by monitoring and controlling populations of mosquitoes, termites, and rodents, to reduce rodent and insect-borne disease and destruction.
The Board manages all pest populations in the most environmentally safe, efficient and economical manner.
Integrated Mosquito Control
An integrated mosquito management approach is used by The City of New Orleans Mosquito, Termite and Rodent Control Board (NOMTCB). This involves vector population surveillance, public education, larval mosquito habitat reduction, and chemical control of larval and adult mosquitoes. Larval source reduction (i.e. the physical elimination of larval breeding sites) involves the inspection and removal of man-made containers (including tires), clutter and trash around residences. For sites that cannot be removed or drained, biorational larvicides are used to target developmental stages. Adult mosquitoes can be treated on a yard, block or residential level using a variety of equipment; backpack or hand-held sprayers, trucks and airplanes. Click Here for Audio Visual Presentation
For more information about the City of New Orleans Mosquito, Termite, and Rodent Control Board please visit the link below:
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