City of newburyport

CITY OF NEWBURYPORT

March 21, 2013
OFFICE OF THE MAYOR
The Office of Mayor Holaday, Newburyport DONNA H. HOLADAY
NEWBURYPORT CITY HALL
60 PLEASANT STREET
NEWBURYPORT, MA 01950
The City Health Department would like to advise all City residents that the Arbovirus (Mosquito) season is fast approaching. The City Health Department and the Northeast Massachuset s Mosquito Control & Wetlands Management District believe that because of the significant snow accumulation this year that ROBERT F. BRACEY,
the upcoming Arbovirus (Mosquito) season has the potential to be as severe as PUBLIC HEALTH DIRECTOR
In 2012, Essex County reported two human Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) cases (deaths), one Alpaca EEE, one horse EEE and no human cases of West Nile (WNV). In Essex County last year there were a total of 1038 pools that were tested which included 12 positive (EEE) pools, 46 positive WNV pools and two pools positive (combination) with both WNV and EEE. Each year, any City of Newburyport property owner who would like to be excluded from the season’s mosquito pesticide applications by Northeast Massachusetts Mosquito Control should do so pursuant to the Department of Agricultural Resources’ Regulation 333 CMR 13.03 “Exclusions from Pesticide Application”. Property owners can be excluded by submit ing a writ en request to the City Health Department no later than April 30, 2013. The City Health Department strongly recommends the fol owing precautionary measures and steps that residents and their families can take this season to
Avoid Mosquito Bites:
Be Aware of Peak Mosquito Hours - The hours from dusk to dawn are peak biting times for many mosquitoes. Consider rescheduling outdoor activities that occur during evening or early morning. If you are outdoors at any time and notice mosquitoes around you, take steps to avoid being bit en by moving indoors, CITY OF NEWBURYPORT
Clothing Can Help reduce mosquito bites. Although it may be dif icult to do when it’s hot, wearing long-sleeves, long pants and socks when outdoors wil help keep Apply Insect Repel ent when you go outdoors. Use a repel ent with DEET (N, N- diethyl-m-toluamide), permethrin, picaridin (KBR 3023), IR3535 or oil of lemon eucalyptus [p-methane 3, 8-diol (PMD)] according to the instructions on the product label. DEET products should not be used on infants under two months of age and should be used in concentrations of 30 percent or less on older children. Oil of lemon eucalyptus should not be used on children under three years of age. Permethrin products are intended for use on items such as clothing, shoes, bed nets and camping gear and should not be applied to skin.
Mosquito-Proof Your Home:
Drain Standing Water – Many mosquitoes lay their eggs in standing water. Limit the number of places around your home for mosquitoes to breed by either draining or get ing rid of items that hold water. Check rain gut ers and drains. Empty any unused flowerpots and wading pools, and change water in birdbaths Instal or Repair Screens - Some mosquitoes like to come indoors. Keep them outside by having tightly-fit ing screens on al of your windows and doors. For further information on this seasons WNV or EEE, please log onto the Massachusetts Department of Public Health website at: Residents with questions about mosquitoes or how to control them can contact Mr. Robert F. Bracey, Director of Public Health at the City of Newburyport Health Department 978-465-4410 or Mr. Jack A. Card Jr., Director of the Northeast Massachusetts Mosquito Control and Wetlands Management District at (978)

Source: http://www.newbresnahan.org/health%20updates%2012-13/3-21-2013%20Press%20Release%20re%20Mosquito%20Control.pdf