Health Departments Helps with Mosquito Awareness and Prevention

MUSKINGUM COUTY, Ohio – Mosquitoes can be one of the biggest reasons to stay inside during the summer. But the Muskingum County Health Department said that there are ways that you can help prevent them from breeding in the first place.

Logan Bryan, the Zanesville/Muskingum County Health Department Mosquito Control Technician says it is best to keep dirty, standing water to a minimum.

“Our biggest problem right now, especially this summer is standing water. We’ll have two weeks of solid rain and then no rain. So, mosquitos like stagnant water, so I sometimes call it like black water cause it’ll get like a nasty gray color. So we look for that, its mostly found in low lying areas. An example would be Dresden; I get calls there everyday, I’m at Dresden everyday, its always something new.”

The mosquito control department travels around the Muskingum County area daily to look for standing water and test to ensure that the insects do not carry any harmful viruses. They then use an environmentally friendly pesticide to kill off any larvae that may exist. They urge people to stay safe by using approved repellents.

“Just use a good, approved mosquito repellent with deet, it’s poisonous to them, not to us. So just protect yourself with some bug spray. Apply it liberally but don’t obviously apply it to your face, just apply it to your hands like this, rub to your ears, neck and it usually does the job./Dryer sheets, just keep one of those in your pocket. Just little outs and ins like that. They have mosquito bracelets now, just anything like that.”

To request treatment or report mosquito breeding areas, you can call 740-454-9741, extension 300 and leave a detailed voice message including your name, location and issue.