PHILIPSBURG (DCOMM):— The Collective Prevention Services (CPS), a government department under the Ministry of Public Health, Social Development and Labour, is calling on residents to make use of the opportunity to clean up their yards and surroundings in connection with the 2021 Atlantic hurricane season, and to help prevent mosquito breeding habitats.
Waste disposal companies have announced and published their schedules via various forms of media when they will be picking up different forms of debris and waste. CPS adds this is the time to get rid of unwanted things that may serve as a breeding site.
Five-named storms have already formed for the 2021 Atlantic hurricane season which is said to be an active one, and CPS is calling on residents to remove mosquito breeding habitats in and around your yard.
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 therefore it is crucial for every household to prevent its breeding.
Breeding sites include anywhere that water can settle for a certain time. This includes tin cans, old tires, empty paint cans, buckets, old saucers, flowerpots, cemetery urns/vases, old pet dishes, unused plastic swimming pools, boats on dry dock, 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, especially during the hurricane season when the country experiences more rainfall due to passing tropical weather systems.
Please also note that you can contact the vector team at (721) 542- 1122 / (721) 542- 1222 / (721) 542- 1322 / (721) 542- 1540 or you can also temporarily call 914 and ask to be connected to Vector Control; or email vector-control@sintmaartengov.org with supporting pictures to report a mosquito nuisance or request assistance.
