Author: Brown Latoya
On Tuesday, the Board of Mosquito Control approved a vote allowing the Collier Mosquito Control District to expand its coverage. It also coincides with discovering a new case of dengue fever, a mosquito-borne sickness, in the county.
The Board of Mosquito Control Commissioners authorized the expansion plan, citing various reasons, including the desire to limit the spread of the mosquito-borne disease in the county.
The new case of dengue fever comes days after the Florida Department of Health in Collier County warned residents about an uptick in mosquito-borne diseases in the county.
The Reason behind the District’s Expansion
The Collier Mosquito Control District attributes the increase of mosquito-borne diseases in the area to population growth.
“We have so many individuals migrating into Collier County regions that are not fully covered in the Mosquito Control District,” said a district representative, Robin King, in a statement.
He said that the Mosquito District now covers around 401 square miles and that compared to the county’s 2,300 square miles, where a small section of the county is protected.
When was the dengue fever case reported?
The Florida Department of Health in Collier County revealed the dengue fever case on Thursday. According to the department, a county resident contracted the mosquito-borne illness and is now receiving treatment. Dengue fever, if treated properly, will not kill you, according to the Department of Health. However, it can make you feel ill for a short period.
What is dengue fever?
Dengue fever is a sickness spread by mosquitos. Mosquitoes that carry the disease like to feed on humans and live in densely populated places.
Dengue fever symptoms include the following:
- Rash
- Fever
- Headache behind the eyes
- Muscle and joint aches
How does the district plan to handle this disease?
The Collier Mosquito Control District claims to have a plan to combat dengue disease. Among these initiatives are to set up more traps and bring in more mosquitos for testing. Furthermore, the district maintains that these tests are performed weekly.
“As of today, we have not seen any infections in the mosquito populations that we bring in for testing,” says Robin King, a Collier Mosquito Control District spokesman. He also stated that the district would place additional traps in new regions and bring new mosquitos for testing the following week.
King further stated that just because the district has not found dengue in the mosquito populations studied thus far does not mean it is not present. As a result, people must be aware of the risk of catching the disease and take action to protect themselves and their families. He recommended tossing away any still or standing water because it is a breeding place for mosquitoes.
Summary
The Board of Mosquito Control passed a policy to allow Collier Mosquito Control District to expand its coverage to control the spread of mosquito-borne illnesses. This expansion comes days after the Florida Department of Health in Collier County reported a new case of dengue fever. According to reports and statements from the district’s spokesperson, they are yet to locate the mosquito population carrying the dengue fever but still advise Collier County residents to adhere to precautions to protect themselves and their families.
