“INFECTIOUS DISEASES ARE NOW SPREADING GEOGRAPHICALLY MUCH FASTER THAN AT ANY TIME IN HISTORY.”
MARGARET CHAN, MD WHO DIRECTOR-GENERAL
West Nile Virus. everyone IN METAIRIE knows about it, but did you know that mosquitoes also carry Malaria, yello fever, dengue fever, chikungunya virus, and Zika. Tourism and international air travel have caused these Mosquito carrying diseases to spread at a very fast rate. Metairie and Kenner already have the mosquitoes. We are continually importing the diseases they carry having an international airport so close to Metairie and Kenner. We must be prepared to prevent their becoming part of our public health landscape. That requires safe, effective, sustained mosquito control. However, continued public support is crucial for the success of each of these efforts. We will all pay the price for complacency.
FACTS AND NUMBERS
- Dengue fever – current problems in southern Florida and along Texas border; extensive outbreak in Puerto Rico and elsewhere in the Caribbean
- Yellow fever – summer outbreaks in coastal cities along Gulf Coast and Atlantic seaboard north to Boston, into upper Mississippi River valley
- Chikungunya virus – outbreaks throughout Caribbean and northern South America; imported cases in several states. Potential for emergence and spread in southern tier of states.
- Encephalitis viruses – Over 36,000 cases from 1999-2014; almost 16,000 cases of neuroinvasive disease causing permanent disability; over 1,500 fatalities
- A female mosquito can produce over 400 million progeny in a single season even if only 25% of each generation survives.
- TRAPS SET NEAR MARSH LANDS AND BARRIER ISLANDS HAVE RECORDED CATCHING POUNDS OF MOSQUITOES IN ONE NIGHT. 1 POUND OF MOSQUITOES = 1,100,432 MOSQUITOES
- Dogs: canine heartworm transmitted by Culex mosquitoes
- Large birds (Bald eagles, ostriches, emus, etc.) and zoo species killed by EEE and WNV
- WNV killed more than 300 alligators in zoos since 2000
THINGS TO MINIMIZE MOSQUITOES AROUND YOUR HOME
- ELIMINATE ALL STANDING WATER. MOSQUITOES NEED LEES THAN ONE SPOON FULL OF WATER TO LAY EGGS. BIRDBATH WATER SHOULD BE CHANGED OFTEN, GUTTERS SHOULD BE CLEAN, REMOVE TREE STUMPS THAT HOLD WATER.
- FOR AERAS THAT ARE IMPOSSIBLE TO ELIMINATE ALL WATER, INTRODUCE FISH THAT WAT MOSQUITO LARVAE, ( GOLD FISH , BLUEGILLS AND MINNOWS) ALL ARE VERY EASY TO FIND IN A Metairie FISH STORE.
- INSTALL PUMPS TO KEEP WATER MOVING.
IF YOU ARE STILL FINDING YOURSELF BEING RAN OUT OF YOUR YARD BY MOSQUITOES, IT MIGHT BE TIME TO CALL Lawn Doctor of Lakeview. With The Best Products, Tools, Affordable Prices, Trained Staff & Friendly Green Thumb Crew Members, Lawn Doctor of Lakeview Is Your #1 Mosquito and Lawn Care Company. (504) 444-6968
