Mosquitos have long been a problem and a threat to the residents of Lea County. To help eliminate these nasty little insects from our area, the staff of the City of Hobbs Parks and Open Spaces Department is currently conducting a mosquito spraying program.
According to Meghan Mooney, City of Hobbs Director of Communications, spraying will happen on Tuesday and Wednesday nights, July 13 and 14. The program is like previous years. Spraying will take place only on property fronts and perpendicular to wind direction.
What this means is that not every street will necessarily be sprayed directly. However, due to wind drift, the spray will blanket all areas of the city.
The focus during Tuesday and Wednesday nights application will be city parks, cemeteries, public roads and sports fields. Mooney confirms that additional spraying will be conducted as necessary.
In 2016, the Aedes aegypti, a species of mosquito that carries the Zika virus, was identified in Lea County. Since then, both county and local officials have been proactive in their efforts to eliminate both this mosquito species as well as all others.
Lea is not the only New Mexico county where the Aedes aegypti species of mosquitos has been found. These mosquitos have, also, been identified in Chaves, Curry, Doña Ana, Eddy, Hidalgo, Otero, Sierra and Socorro counties.
Although most people bitten by a mosquito carrying the Zika virus will have no symptoms, those who become ill may develop a fever or rash and suffer from joint pain or conjunctivitis (pink eye). These conditions normally only last a few days, and hospitalization and/or death are rare.
The CDC (Center for Disease Control) warns that the Zika virus can be passed from a pregnant woman to her fetus. Fetal brain defects can result, as well as seizures, hearing and sight limitations and joint and mobility problems to the child.
The bottom line is folks should avoid getting bitten by mosquitos. While that is easier said than done, there are steps people can take to decrease risk. The New Mexico Department of Health NMDOH suggests removing standing water around your home in places like bird baths, flower pots, old tires and the like. After removing the water, scrub these containers so that mosquito eggs are destroyed. Further, use air conditioning and be sure that windows and doors are covered by screens. Wearing long-sleeved shirts and long pants help too, and sleeping under a mosquito net, especially if sleeping outside. EPA approved insect repellents, when used as directed, are “safe and effective, even for children and pregnant or breast-feeding women.”
Any Hobbs resident wanting to know more about the city’s spraying program in general, to request that a particular area be sprayed or to find out if spraying of a particular area is scheduled should call (575) 397-9289.
Photo by Wolfgang Hasselmann, Unsplash
