EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) — The City of El Paso’s Department of Public Health is urging residents to prevent mosquito breeding and mosquito bites to avoid disease.
The city shares a list on prevention methods for residents to protect themselves and their loved ones from mosquitoes.
- 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 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: Standing water from flowerpots, gutters, buckets, pool covers, pet water dishes, and bird baths should be drained. After rain or lawn watering, residents are asked to remove any standing water they find outside.
The elderly and individuals 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, Zika, etc.
The City of El Paso’s Vector Control Program managed by the Environmental Services Department provides mosquito control services to the El Paso community and surrounding municipalities from vector-borne illnesses.
Those activities are the following:
- Fogging public rights-of-way
- Trapping and sampling mosquitoes for potential diseases
- Treating and monitoring bodies of water for infestations
- Addressing stagnant water concerns
“The Vector Control Team raises mosquito abatement awareness through educational outreach to the community,” said the City of El Paso.
To request a presentation about mosquito control, call 915-212-6000.
Residents can report mosquito breeding and standing water by calling 311. For more
information on mosquito prevention, visit Public Health (elpasotexas.gov) or call 211.
