NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Metro Public Health officials have offered a few tips on how to protect against mosquitoes this year after several batches collected in Davidson County tested positive for West Nile.
The department’s pest management staff will be visiting neighborhoods in Antioch, Bordeaux and Sylvan Park Wednesday, to pass out information on how to protect against mosquitoes, while also taking steps to reduce standing water where mosquitoes can lay eggs.
At this point, no human cases of the West Nile Virus have been reported.
Officials will be in Antioch from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m., in Bordeaux from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. and in Sylvan Park from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m.
Health officials said there are no plans at this time to spray to kill adult mosquitoes.
The Health Department recommended the following steps to protect against biting mosquitoes, including:
- Limit time outdoors at dusk and nighttime hours when mosquitoes are present.
- If you must be outdoors then wear a mosquito repellent that is approved for use by the CDC – those include products that contain DEET, Picaridin, and Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus.
- Wear shoes, socks, long sleeve shirts and pants when outdoors during dusk to dawn when mosquitoes are most prevalent. Clothing should be light colored and made of tightly woven materials to keep mosquitoes away from the skin. Pant legs should be tucked into shoes or socks, and collars should be buttoned.
- Make sure your windows and doors have screens and are in good repair.
- Health Department officials recommend taking steps to reduce mosquito breeding areas. This includes:
- Reduce or eliminate all standing water in your yard – especially in children’s toys, bird baths, clogged gutters, tires, flowerpots, trashcans, and wheelbarrows.
- Aerate ornamental pools or stock them with Gambusia fish.
- Apply mosquito dunks in standing water areas on your property.
- Cut back overgrown vegetation (mosquito hiding areas).
Information is also available at the Health Department’s website.
