GREAT BAY, Sint Maarten (DCOMM) – This week marks Caribbean Mosquito Awareness Week which is from May 04 -10. The recurring theme is: Small Bite Big Threat! “Fight the Bite, Destroy Mosquito Breeding Sites.”
The Collective Prevention Services (CPS) is committed to keeping the public informed and making frequent ‘calls to action’ to the community to take action and eliminate mosquito breeding sites by taking a weekly 10-minute walk around your home, yard and business establishment.
CPS is appealing once again to continue to take action after every rainfall event to eliminate mosquito breeding sites and in doing so protects our community from mosquito borne diseases. Community vigilance is key.
The objective of Caribbean Mosquito Awareness Week is to strengthen existing initiatives and mobilize the public to eliminate mosquito breeding sites from public and private places.
CPS supports the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) campaign this week and appeals to the community to always be alert to act right after a rainfall event to prevent mosquitoes from breeding.
Mosquitoes can breed in as little as half an inch of water. This is not a lot of water, and plant saucers are one of those unassuming places that can gather a small amount and still be a huge breeding site for your backyard mosquito.
Source reduction, search and destroy is the key to decreasing the mosquito population. Due to the tropical nature of our climate, breeding habitats are in abundance, and many of them are unfortunately man-made.
For issues surrounding mosquito breeding sites, contact CPS’ vector control team by calling 542-1222/1570 or 914. Ask to be contacted by the vector control team.
You can also email vector-control@sintmaartengov.org with supporting pictures and contact information to report a mosquito nuisance or request assistance.
Eradicating mosquito breeding sites should become a habitual lifestyle of each citizen, let us minimize the mosquito population at its source!
Protection tips for travelers and residents is to wear protective clothing: Long-sleeved shirts and long pants, especially at dusk and dawn.
Use Repellent: Apply insect repellents containing DEET, Picaridin, or IR3535. Screening: Ensure windows and doors have mesh screens to keep mosquitoes out of the home/business.
