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 Mosquito Response Protocol DOH's WNV Page DOH's EEE Page |
News Release RI Department of Environmental Management 235 Promenade Street, Providence, RI 02908 (401) 222-2771 TDD/(401) 222-4462
DEM SAYS FIRST MOSQUITOES TRAPPED DEM will normally report mosquito test results once a week on a routine basis, generally on, or by, Wednesday, with additional reports as necessary. Test results from mosquitoes trapped last week will be included in next week's announcement. Any new positive bird test results will also be included in the weekly announcement. Positive mosquito and/or bird test results will generally trigger additional trapping to assess risk. Bird Surveillance DEM also has re-activated its dead bird surveillance hotline - 788-3698 - for the summer. Residents are encouraged to report crows, bluejays, and raptors - hawks and owls - that have died within 24 hours of discovery and that show no signs of external injury. Although only a sampling of birds that meet these criteria will be retrieved for testing, DEM will map the locations of the birds reported in order to identify areas where additional mosquito trapping and testing is needed, as dead crows, bluejays, and raptors can serve as an early indicator of West Nile virus. Last year, Rhode Islanders reported 349 West Nile-suspect birds from throughout the state to the surveillance hotline. Residents can dispose of dead birds by double-bagging them and putting them in their household trash. There is no evidence that birds can transmit West Nile Virus to humans; mosquitoes that bite infected birds and then bite humans are the transmitters. However, as with any dead animal, avoid bare-handed contact of the carcass by using gloves or an inverted bag to place it in the double bag for disposal. Personal Protection Urged This year's mosquito response protocol is not substantially changed from that of the past four years. Aerial or ground spraying will be recommended only when a team of mosquito-control experts determines that the public is at substantial risk of contact by infected mosquitoes. It is hoped that, through personal protection measures, comprehensive larvicide treatment, and elimination of mosquito habitat in populated areas of the state, mosquito growth and human exposure to West Nile Virus and EEE can be mitigated. Personal protection is still the first line of defense against mosquito-borne disease. DEM and HEALTH officials urge all Rhode Islanders to avoid mosquito bites by using screens on windows and doors, covering up at dawn and dusk, and putting mosquito netting over playpens and baby carriages when they are outside. Also, use mosquito repellent, but with no more than 30 percent DEET. Do not use repellent on infants. Additionally, eliminate mosquito breeding grounds by removing anything in yards that holds standing water, such as old tires, buckets, junk and debris, and clean gutters so that they drain properly. 2004 Rhode Island Roundup The EEE threat was relatively high in Rhode Island in 2004 due to the high number of EEE isolations in southern New England and two deaths from the disease in Massachusetts. While there were no human cases of EEE reported in Rhode Island in 2004, one horse contracted EEE, and EEE was found in seven mosquito pools: three in South Kingstown, two in North Kingstown, one in East Greenwich, and one in Charlestown. Out of nearly 60 birds tested, three tested positive for EEE, and five tested positive for West Nile Virus. Although Rhode Island saw its first human fatality from West Nile Virus in 2003 and six other Rhode Islanders were diagnosed with the virus that year, no human cases were reported in Rhode Island in 2004. The Viruses EEE, a cyclical virus, while not nearly as common as West Nile Virus, has a higher fatality rate. It is a viral disease contracted through the bite of an infected mosquito. In most years, the virus is limited to native bird populations and bird-biting mosquitoes, but occasionally the virus can be transmitted to humans and domestic animals. West Nile Virus is also a mosquito-transmitted, viral disease that causes encephalitis. Most people bitten by WNV-infected mosquitoes do not get sick. However, the elderly and people with weakened immune systems are more prone to infections. West Nile Virus made its first appearance in the Western hemisphere, in the New York City area in 1999, and has since spread throughout the country. Last year West Nile Virus was reported in 47 states, with 2,470 human cases of the disease and 88 deaths. Additional Information For online information about mosquito-borne diseases, go to DEM's website, www.state.dem.ri.gov, and click on "Public Health" under "Topics", or go to the HEALTH website, www.health.ri.gov, and click on "W" under "Health Topics". -30- |
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