knoxville news
knoxville news knoxville daily sun lifestyle business knoxville sports travel knoxville classifieds knoxville jobs knoxville legal notices knoxville yellow pages smoky mountains contact facebook twitter linkedin rss entertainment knoxville advertising
  KCHD resumes public health campaign to prevent mosquito-borne illness



KNOXVILLE – The Knox County Health Department (KCHD) restarted its #MosquitoMonday public health campaign today, which is aimed at reducing mosquito-borne illness. During the summer months, KCHD will post tips and advice for residents each Monday on its social media platforms: Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

“Unfortunately, mosquitoes can reproduce quickly, in some cases in just a week, so we all must be vigilant throughout the summer to not just prevent bites but to also reduce habitats,” said KCHD Director Dr. Martha Buchanan. “We want #MosquitoMonday to serve as a weekly reminder for residents to protect themselves, and we hope it will also be a resource for the public to find up-to-date, easily sharable information.”

Tennessee is home to many types of mosquitoes, including Culex, which are capable of transmitting West Nile virus, and Aedes, which can transmit La Crosse encephalitis. Mosquitoes can also carry dengue fever, yellow fever, Zika and Chikungunya virus, none of which are currently being transmitted locally, however.

Officials recommend:
• Applying repellants to skin often; these can include lotions, liquids or sprays. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends the use Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)-registered insect repellents with one of these active ingredients: DEET, Picaridin, oil of lemon eucalyptus or para-menthane-diol, IR3535 or 2-undecanone. The duration of protection varies by repellant; read labels on products to determine when reapplications are necessary.
• Wearing long, loose and light-colored shirts and pants and wear socks.
• Treating clothing with permethrin or purchase pretreated clothing.
• Disposing of, regularly empting, or turning over any water-holding containers on your property, such as tires, cans, flower pots, children’s toys or trash cans.
• Making sure roof gutters drain properly and water doesn't pool in them.
• Filling in hollow tree stumps and rot holes, a common breeding ground for the Aedes mosquito, with sand or concrete.
• Using larvicides, such as mosquito torpedoes or mosquito dunks, to prevent breeding in large water-holding containers, including bird baths or garden pools. If used properly, larvicides will not harm animals.
• Checking the CDC’s travel webpage before traveling outside the U.S. because it’s important to be aware of the diseases affecting your destination(s), including those spread by mosquitoes, and take steps to prevent infection.

As the first health department in Tennessee to achieve national voluntary accreditation by the Public Health Accreditation Board, the Knox County Health Department (KCHD) is dedicated to ensuring the conditions in which every resident can be healthy. KCHD investigates disease outbreaks, identifies community health threats, conducts extensive outreach and education, prepares for public health emergencies, provides and connects the public with medical care, enforces food safety and air quality laws, and more. For more information, visit www.knoxcounty.org/health.

Published May 21, 2018













knoxville daily sun Knoxville Daily Sun
2018 Image Builders
User Agreement | Privacy Policy