West Nile Virus Season: Fight the Bite
June 19, 2012
Dr. Harry McDermott, Executive Director of Campus Health Services, and Steve Holland, Assistant Vice President for Risk Management Services, remind us all that with the warm weather comes the return of Tucson's mosquito season. They would like to remind the community how to prevent West Nile Virus through their Fite the Bite campaign.
West Nile Virus (WNV) is a mosquito borne virus endemic in Arizona mosquitoes since 2003, with the mosquito season peaking from May through October.
In Arizona during 2011, there were 67 confirmed human WNV cases and 4 fatalities reported. Pima County had 19 confirmed cases.
Facilities Management prevents mosquito breeding on campus by treating outdoor areas of standing water with a safe mosquito larvicide. They ask that University building managers and occupants to also help fight the bite by taking simple precautions:
- Flush all lab sinks and floor drains twice weekly
- Pour residual liquid in drink cups or cans down a sink drain before disposing of them in a garbage can
- Keep a lid on garbage cans
- Wear insect repellant on skin, especially when outdoors from dusk to dawn
- Wear long sleeves and long pants if possible and when appropriate
- Use a safe larvacide in standing water sources (e.g. pools, fountains, planters)
- Remove unnecessary standing water in your outdoor areas (e.g. overflow from flower pots, irrigated areas, and yard areas where water collects after a monsoon rain)
Learn more about how to Fight the Bite in the West Nile Virus flyer. Stay healthy this summer!
Source: 3DMemo Listserv (University of Arizona Community) from McDermott and Holland