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Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management

235 Promenade Street | Providence, RI 02908 | 401.222.4700 | www.dem.ri.gov | @RhodeIslandDEM

 

MOSQUITO MONITORING, TESTING BEGINS ACROSS RHODE ISLAND;

FIRST BATCH TESTED IS NEGATIVE FOR WEST NILE AND EEE

 

PROVIDENCE - The Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (DEM) today announced the first batch of mosquitoes trapped and tested this season for West Nile Virus (WNV) and Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) are negative. Beginning in June each year and as part of disease monitoring efforts in the state, DEM regularly traps mosquitoes for testing by the Rhode Island Department of Health (RIDOH). Test results are issued weekly – with special advisories as needed.  The first trapping, conducted between June 2 and June 14, included 56 traps and 136 mosquito pools.

 

  

In recognition of National Mosquito Control Awareness Week, DEM and RIDOH advise the public that personal protection is the first line of defense against mosquitoes that may carry WNV, EEE, or other diseases – and the most effective way to avoid infection. With WNV and EEE established throughout the state, residents are reminded to eliminate mosquito breeding grounds and prevent being bitten, whenever possible. The following precautions are advised.

 

Protect yourself


Get rid of mosquito breeding grounds

 

Best practices for horse owners

Horses are particularly susceptible to WNV and EEE. Horse owners are advised to vaccinate their animals early in the season and practice the following:

 

 

Visit health.ri.gov/mosquito for additional mosquito prevention tips, videos, and local data. DEM and RIDOH also remind Rhode Islanders to take precautions to avoid mosquito bites when traveling to Zika-affected countries. Pregnant women and women who are considering becoming pregnant should not travel to countries with active transmission of Zika.

 

Mosquitoes are trapped weekly by DEM and tested at the RIDOH State Health Laboratories. DEM issues advisories on test results from July through September, with additional reports as necessary. Test results are pending for traps set on June 17 and June 21 and will be included in future announcements. Typically, positive test results trigger additional trapping to assess risk. 

 

For more information about DEM divisions and programs, visit www.dem.ri.gov. Follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/RhodeIslandDEM or on Twitter (@RhodeIslandDEM) for timely updates.

                                                                                                                                                       

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