Summer nears, city advises community to prepare for mosquito-borne disease season

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) – With warmer weather on the way, so are those pesky mosquitoes, but the Department of Public Health is urging residents to prevent mosquito breeding and bites in order to avoid disease.

According to the city, certain individuals such as the elderly and those with medical conditions, such as cancer, diabetes, hypertension, kidney disease, and people who have received organ transplants are at higher risk of developing serious illnesses transmitted from mosquito bites like West Nile Virus and Zika.

To help ‘fight the bite’ the city said you can follow these prevention methods:

DEET – Use insect repellents that contain DEET when outdoors. (NOT FOR KIDS??)

DRESS – Wear long sleeves, long pants, and socks when outdoors.

DUSK & DAWN – Although mosquitoes associated with Zika can be active throughout the day, residents should take extra care during peak mosquito biting hours (from dusk to dawn) or consider avoiding outdoor activities during these times.

DRAIN – Drain standing water from flowerpots, gutters, buckets, pool covers, pet water dishes, and birdbaths. After rains or lawn watering, residents are asked to “tip and toss” any standing water they find outside.

Residents can report mosquito breeding and standing water by calling 3-1-1.

For more information on mosquito prevention click here or call 2-1-1.