ELP Residents Should Prepare For Mosquito-Borne Disease Season

As mosquito-borne disease season in El Paso begins residents are urged to take precautions to avoid mosquito breeding, bites, and disease.

The City of El Paso Department of Public Health is urging residents to take preventive measures in order to avoid mosquitos from breeding, bites, and the diseases that they may carry.

According to the City of El Paso Department of Health, in 2019 El Paso saw 16 confirmed cases of West Nile virus with two deaths related to the disease.

The elderly and those with certain medical conditions, such as cancer, diabetes, hypertension, kidney disease, and people who have received organ transplants are most at risk.

Aside from the West Nile Virus, other mosquito-borne diseases include Zika, Chikungunya, and Dengue, which can have devastating effects on those most vulnerable.

Last week the community’s irrigation flooding from the Rio Grande took place in some areas, and therefore public health officials are asking residents to use a larvicide that is commercially sold in either liquid, tablet, pellet, granule, or briquette form to help prevent breeding.

Authorities are encouraged to follow the four D’s to help avoid getting bit by these pesky bugs.

DEET - Use insect DEET repellents
DRESS - Wear long sleeves, long pants, and socks if possible when outdoors.
DUSK / DAWN – Avoid peak mosquito biting hours (from dusk to dawn)
DRAIN – Drain standing water from your yards or inside your homes including flowerpots, gutters, pool covers, pet water dishes, birdbaths, and any standing water in general.

For more information call 2-1-1 or visit EPHealth.com.