Tag Archives: el paso mosquitos

On Wednesday, the City of El Paso Department of Public Health announced that more mosquito pools collected in our area have tested positive for the West Nile Virus.

While no human cases of the virus have been reported in the El Paso area, officials are reminding residents that preventing mosquito bites continues to be an important public health concern.

There were 14 human cases confirmed locally last year and in 2015, there were two deaths related to a West Nile infection. In order to help prevent cases this year residents are asked to practice the following:

Six traps have returned positive results for West Nile. Areas affected include Central El Paso, the Upper Valley, and Fabens. Public Health continues to work closely with the Environmental Services Department’s Vector Control Program to determine the prevalence of the virus in our region.

“We are heading into the rainy season here locally, and that means more opportunities for mosquito breeding,” said Department of Public Health Lead Epidemiologist Fernando Gonzalez. “We know that there are infected mosquitoes and as their number increases, so does the chance that they will spread the disease to someone in our population.”

• DEET – Use insect repellents that contain DEET when outdoors.
• DRESS – Wear long sleeves, long pants, and socks when outdoors.
• DUSK and DAWN – Although mosquitoes associated with other diseases such as 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.

For more information on the Public Health Department, call 2-1-1 or visit www.EPHealth.com or www.EPSalud.com

Today, the City of El Paso Department of Public Health received its second confirmed case of West Nile virus for the year. The patient, who is recovering, is a man in his mid-20’s who lives in Central El Paso.

Additionally, two mosquito traps in the Mission Valley have tested positive for West Nile virus.

“This new case and new positive mosquito pools are a reminder that mosquitoes are active and we can say for sure, some of them have the potential to spread disease,” said Fernando Gonzalez, Lead Epidemiologist.

With the Zika virus now being spread locally in Florida, and with other mosquito-borne disease threats, the Health Department continues to recommend mosquito bite prevention tips. The recommendations are:

• Wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants

• Drain standing water both inside and outside your home

• 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.

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.