• Category

  • Content Type

Advertisement

Protect Children from Mosquito Bites While at School

By: , September 5, 2014

The Key Point:

The Ministry of Health is encouraging School Administrators to continue efforts to ensure that mosquito breeding sites are removed from school grounds.
Protect Children from Mosquito Bites While at School
Director of Emergency, Disaster Management and Special Services, Dr. Marion Bullock DuCasse. (FILE)

The Facts

  • The Aedes aegypti mosquito which spreads Chikungunya mostly bites in the day time and is generally found in and around places where people gather including schools.
  • Individuals should protect themselves and their children from mosquito bites by using insect repellent containing DEET.

The Full Story

The Ministry of Health is encouraging School Administrators to continue efforts to ensure that mosquito breeding sites are removed from school grounds.

Director, Emergency, Disaster Management and Special Services, Dr. Marion Bullock DuCasse says this should be an ongoing exercise especially since the Aedes aegypti mosquito which spreads Chikungunya mostly bites in the day time and is generally found in and around places where people gather including schools.

“The recent rainfall may have provided opportunities for mosquitoes to breed. It is therefore important for School Administrators to take the time to ensure that anything that can collect water is removed from school grounds.  This will significantly reduce mosquito breeding and therefore the spread of Chikungunya,” Dr. DuCasse said.

Persons can search for and destroy mosquito breeding sites by getting rid of old tyres and containers in which water can settle, punching holes in tins before disposing, and covering large drums, barrels and tanks holding water.

Individuals should protect themselves and their children from mosquito bites by using insect repellent containing DEET, covering their body as much as possible by wearing long sleeved clothing for example and putting mesh on doors and windows.

The Ministry Health of has so far confirmed a total of twenty-one (21) cases for the country. Of this number eighteen (18) are from local transmission, two (2) imported and one (1) considered cryptic due the uncertainty of whether the virus was contracted while traveling overseas or from a household contact.

The affected parishes remain St. Thomas, St. Catherine, St. Ann and Kingston and St. Andrew. There have been no deaths.

For more information individuals may contact the Ministry of Health.

Last Updated: September 5, 2014

Skip to content