Westmoreland extends fight against mosquitoes

The vector-control initiative at the Westmoreland Health Department, being undertaken through the Housing, Opportunity, Production and Employment (HOPE) programme, has been extended to eradicate more mosquito breeding sites in the parish.

Ryan Morris, vector-control officer at the Westmoreland Health Department, said a 12-week extension has been granted "because we have seen a decrease in the number of Aedes aegypti mosquito breeding sites (in the parish), and we want to maintain the presence of the team to continue the identification and destruction of more sites".

Morris said the programme, which currently has 31 workers, is in its second phase in the parish and has been successful as residents are receptive to mosquito-prevention information provided by the vector-control workers.

"More persons are doing what we are recommending in terms of preventing mosquito breeding sites. That is part of the reason why we are not seeing as many breeding sites as before," he noted.

It is expected that the once-per-week inspection of typical mosquito breeding sites, as well as walk-throughs in various Westmoreland communities, will continue with the extension of the programme.

The Aedes aegypti mosquito is responsible for the spread of the dengue, Zika and chikungunya viruses.

The HOPE vector-control initiative in Westmoreland is done in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and should end on March 22 of this year.