GREAT BAY, Sint Maarten (DCOMM) – The Collective Prevention Services (CPS), a department within the Ministry of Public Health, Social Development and Labour, will commence with vector control fogging on Wednesday, September 14.
The Vector Control Unit will start from 6.30am to 8.00am and from 4.30pm to 7.00pm. The timelines chosen is when mosquito presence is the highest and it is considered the most effective time to carry out fogging.
The following neighborhoods will be part of the fogging campaign: Zagersgut-Tassel road; Tassel drive-Amaryllis road; and Coralita road.
Residents of the aforementioned and surrounding areas are requested to open doors and windows to give the insecticide maximum penetration in order to incapacitate mosquitoes. Food establishments, medical facilities, should take the appropriate measures to protect their produce and medicines.
Zoo, pet shops, should take measures to protect their animals. Parents and guardians should cover toys from insecticides. Persons with respiratory diseases should take precautions to avoid breathing in the insecticides (chemical) during the fogging.
Secondly during the fogging cycle(s) the public can spray inside their home with a commercial home spray (never spray on food, always ventilate sprayed area(s), never spray on toys, never spray on animals or people).
CPS would like to also remind the community that should there be rainfall during that day; the fogging activity would be rescheduled for another date.
Targeted fogging is a methodology to control the mosquito population by knocking down the adult mosquitoes. The CPS vector control surveillance team will determine the continuation of the targeted fogging based on established indicators eg. High mosquito population and/or suspected cases mosquito-borne disease in a particular area. The targeted fogging approach should not to be associated with an island-wide campaign as in the past.
Fogging is destined to kill adult mosquitoes that mostly are outside. Fogging will not reach behind walls, in corners and in dark places where the female mosquitoes are hiding.
CPS reiterates to all residents of Sint Maarten as well as visitors to wear light colored clothing at dusk; long sleeve shirts and pants; and use mosquito repellent to prevent being bitten by a mosquito that could possibly be carrying a mosquito borne disease.
CPS re-enforces its call to all residents and businesses to eliminate and prevent mosquitos from breeding. You are requested to be on the alert for mosquito breeding sites and elimination, especially after heavy rainfall.
Actively destroy or dispose of tin cans, old tires, buckets, unused plastic swimming pools or other containers that collect and hold water. Do not allow water to accumulate in the saucers of flowerpots, cemetery urns/vase or in pet dishes for more than two days. Throw out the water and turn them over every time it collects water. Properly screen off cistern outlets, cover and screen septic tanks properly.
An increase in the mosquito population puts residents and visitors at risk. For information about dengue fever, zika and chikungunya prevention measures, you can call CPS 542-2078 or 542-3003 to report mosquito breeding sites or email: surveillance@sintmaartengov.org
