Community Corner

Is West Nile Breeding in Your Yard?

The Lehigh Valley is a 'hot spot' for West Nile Virus and we have tips to help keep you and your family safe.

Lehigh and Northampton counties are both considered "hot spots" by Pennsylvania's West Nile Control Program and officials want your help to keep the illness from spreading.

We've had a lot of rain this summer and that means you probably have water sitting in buckets, garbage cans, flower pots or recycling containers around your house. That's where mosquitoes can breed. 

Dump them out. Now.

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Remember to keep emptying those outdoor containers after every rain.

Mosquito samples have tested positive for West Nile in Allentown, Bethlehem, Lower Macungie, Salisbury and North Whitehall as of Monday. There have been no reports of human cases of West Nile in the Lehigh Valley yet this summer.

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Here are more tips on how to reduce the risk of West Nile around your home:

• Dispose of cans, buckets, plastic containers, ceramic pots or similar containers that hold water.

• Properly dispose of discarded tires that can collect water. Stagnant water is where most mosquitoes breed.

• Drill holes in the bottom of outdoor recycling containers.

• Have clogged roof gutters cleaned every year as the leaves from surrounding trees have a tendency to plug drains.

• Turn over plastic wading pools when not in use.

• Turn over wheelbarrows and don't let water stagnate in birdbaths.

• Aerate ornamental pools or stock them with fish.

• Clean and chlorinate swimming pools not in use and remove any water that may collect on pool covers. If a resident has stagnant pools of water on their property, they can buy BTI products at lawn and garden, outdoor supply, home improvement and other stores. This naturally occurring bacterium kills mosquito larvae, but is safe for people, pets, aquatic life and plants.

Prevent mosquito bites:

• Make sure screens fit tightly over doors and windows to keep mosquitoes out of homes.

• Consider wearing long-sleeved shirts, long pants and socks when outdoors, particularly when mosquitoes are most active at dawn and dusk, or in areas known for having large numbers of mosquitoes.

• When possible, reduce outdoor exposure at dawn and dusk during peak mosquito periods, usually April through October.

• Use insect repellents according to the manufacturer's instructions. An effective repellent will contain DEET, picardin or lemon eucalyptus oil. Consult with a pediatrician or family physician for questions about the use of repellent on children, as repellent is not recommended for children under the age of two months.

For more information about West Nile virus and the state's surveillance and control program, please visit www.westnile.state.pa.us.


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