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WAYLAND — With warmer weather now here, Director Julia Junghanns and the Wayland Health Department wish to remind community members of important safety tips to prevent mosquito bites and avoid mosquito-borne diseases.

WAYLAND — With warmer weather now here, Director Julia Junghanns and the Wayland Health Department wish to remind community members of important safety tips to prevent mosquito bites and avoid mosquito-borne diseases.

Mosquitoes are most prevalent from May to August, but remain active until the first time temperatures fall below freezing. According to the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH), mosquito bites in Massachusetts typically result in skin irritation and itching. However, serious diseases including West Nile virus (WNV) and Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) are also spread by mosquitoes in rare instances. These viruses can cause illness ranging from a mild fever to more serious disease like encephalitis or meningitis.

The Health Department works to prevent the breeding of mosquitoes through stormwater catch basin treatments using larvicide briquettes and larvicide spraying by helicopter in the spring. The Department also participates in a mosquito management program with East Middlesex Mosquito Control Project, which handles mosquito trapping, identifying populations and surveillance of diseases and species.

“The Wayland Health Department takes measures during the spring and summer to help reduce the prevalence of mosquitoes in Town, but there are also steps that residents can take to aid in our efforts,” Director Junghanns said. “Residents can be assured that we will actively monitor the mosquito surveillance results in Town, as well as information from surrounding towns, and will keep residents updated on any new developments.”

With recent rains and hot weather, residents are encouraged to take measures to reduce mosquito breeding habitats in their own yards. Residents should use the following tips courtesy of DPH to help prevent mosquito breeding and the spread of WNV and other mosquito-borne diseases:

Residents should also take precautions recommended by DPH to avoid mosquito bites:

For more information on mosquito-borne illnesses, please visit the Massachusetts Department of Public Health’s website here. 

Massachusetts DPH risk maps may be found here. More CDC prevention tips may be found here.

To view the full public health notice, please click here.

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