GREAT BAY, Sint Maarten (DCOMM) – Due to daily rain events, the community is being reminded to take a proactive approach in removing mosquito breeding habitats in andaround your yard, the Collective PreventionServices (CPS), a government department under the Ministry of Public Health, Social Development and Labour, said on Thursday.
Source reduction 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.
A bite by an infectious Aedes aegypti mosquito,spreads diseases – Dengue, Zika, Chikungunya, Yellow Fever, and Malaria -, and therefore it iscrucial for every household to prevent its breeding.
Breeding sites include anywhere that water can settle. This includes tin cans, old tires, empty paint cans, buckets, old saucers, flowerpots, cemetery urns/vase, old pet dishes, unused plastic swimming pools or other containers that collect and hold water.
Every household must do its part to eliminate Aedes aegypti mosquito breeding sites.
Once again, it is very important to check around your yard to make sure there is no standing water after a rainfall event.
Please also note that you can contact the vector team at (721) 542- 1122 / (721) 542- 1222 / (721) 542- 1322 / (721) 542- 1540 or email vector-control@sintmaartengov.org with supporting pictures to report a mosquito nuisance or request assistance.
