Wednesday, December 11, 2024

MOHW and SPTC tackling the mosquito situation in San Pedro

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As the rainy season is upon Belize and the region, the issue of mosquitoes is becoming a concern in San Pedro Town. To address the situation, the Ministry of Health and Wellness (MOHW) and the San Pedro Town Council (SPTC) have started fumigating twice a week in different parts of town. Islanders are advised to keep their areas/yards clean to minimize possible breeding areas for mosquitoes.

The schedule for the spraying will be early in the morning from 4-6AM, and in the evenings from 5-8PM. Residents are asked to notify SPTC of serious mosquito-infested areas, which can be addressed immediately. The sanitation department at the SPTC will be there to assist.

In the summer of 2019, the mosquito situation on the island and other parts of the country caused a wave of Dengue Fever. This deadly disease is transmitted by the bite of an infected Aedes Egypti mosquito, typical during the rainy season. Although this is a yearly threat, health authorities remind the public that outbreaks are preventable. The general public is encouraged to keep their yards clean and dispose of any items that hold water. The vector control units across the country have been spraying and carrying out awareness campaigns on best practices to avoid a similar situation as in 2019. On Ambergris Caye, several cases were detected. The symptoms among those infected with dengue included painful fever and skin rashes.

In the meantime, representatives from the health department on the island will conduct visits to the different sub-divisions to increase awareness of prevention.
Dengue outbreaks in Belize have reportedly occurred every year; however, the last time the country experienced an increase similar to the outbreak in 2019 was in 2015.

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