Tomorrow, the 5th of June is World Environment Day, and to celebrate the Regional Directorate for Health (DRS) will be in the Santa Luzia gardens to raise awareness about the Aedes aegypti mosquito, between 10:00 and midday.
Challenging the community to be Public Health agents, the DRS is raising awareness of the necessary precautions needed to combat this tiny predator.
Their advice is:
– Don’t get bitten – easier said than done! However, using coconut oil on your skin, especially exposed areas can deter them.
Wear clothing that covers most of the body;
Apply repellent to exposed skin;
Put mosquito nets on doors and windows.
– Recognize Aedes aegypti
The adult mosquito is small (0.5cm to 1cm), black in colour, with white stripes scattered over the body, including on the legs.
It flies low and bites during the day, especially at dawn and dusk.
The female feeds on blood for the maturation of the eggs that are deposited in small collections of water, where their larvae and later the pupae develop.
– Eliminate the Breeding Grounds
Remove containers that can accumulate water, such as vases, flower pot saucers, small pools, rubbish, tyres, and other small water collectors/containers
Wash gutters, and animal drinkers frequently.
On a personal note, I’ve noticed that mosquitoes are no longer so noisy, so it is becoming harder to hear them buzzing around.
Samantha Gannon
info at madeira-weekly.com
