Mosquito Season is Zika Prevention Season; City Reminds Residents to ‘Tip and Toss’

The City of El Paso Department of Public Health is asking residents across the borderland to take a proactive approach against mosquito-borne diseases by making sure they “Tip and Toss” items that are retaining water in their yards.

The message comes after recent rains which have created the potential for mosquito breeding in El Paso. These mosquitoes are responsible for spreading various diseases such as West Nile virus and have the potential of bringing the Zika virus to our area.

“We need to make sure that emptying items with stagnant water outside our homes is as common as watering the grass or sweeping the sidewalk,” said Fernando Gonzalez, Lead Epidemiologist. “We need adults, children, and everyone in the household to consider the effects of standing water after it rains.”

The Department also wants to get residents in the habit of using the following additional prevention measures:

• Wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants

• Stay in cool places with air conditioning and window and door screens to keep mosquitoes outside

• Use Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)-registered insect repellents with one of the following active ingredients: DEET, picaridin, IR3535, oil of lemon eucalyptus, or para-menthane-diol. (Do not use insect repellent on babies younger than 2 months old.)

• More information is available at www.EPHealth.com under the Zika Virus page

To report standing water or other mosquito breeding sites, call the Environmental Services Department Vector Control Program at 3-1-1.