It is that time of year again — school is out and the days of sun and fun are here! However, in Cicero, the summer months encourage mosquitoes, especially at dawn and dusk.
The abundance of water in our area can be both a blessing and a curse. Mosquitoes thrive in standing water and they carry diseases that can cause humans and animals to become very sick. Doing your best to prevent mosquito bites is essential. In addition to prevention, the Onondaga County Health Department operates a mosquito monitoring program so that additional steps can be ta ken to control and curb their population, if a mosquito-borne illness is detected.
The mosquito control program started its surveillance activities around May 16. Eight summer aides will assist Onondaga County’s Division of Environmental Health monitor 20 trap sites located throughout the county. Most of the traps are set in the northern portions of the county, like Cicero, where Eastern Equine Encephalitis Virus (EEEv) and West Nile Virus (WNV) have been consistently found. Traps are set twice a week in the Cicero Swamp area.
Mosquitoes are counted and sorted by species and a portion of them are submitted to the New York State Department of Health for virus testing. Mosquitoes are tested for EEEv, WNV and several other mosquito-borne viruses. With mosquitoes’ affinity for standing water, control activities are also done, such as adding larvacide to catch basins and inspecting and treating mosquito breeding sites around the county.
As a resident of this area, I cannot stress enough the importance of taking as many precautionary measures as possible. This includes getting rid of any standing water around your home, ensuring all windows and doors have screens, wearing long sleeved shirts and pants, especially when you are outside at dusk or dawn, and using repellent containing DEET. I hope that you enjoy the summer season with your family and wish you good health.
Tim Burtis represents the third legislative district, which includes the town of Cicero and portions of the town of Manlius. Tim welcomes constituent feedback; he can be reached by email at [email protected] or by phone at (315) 396-3300.
