West Nile Virus Prevention Efforts Ongoing in Greater Vancouver
12 July 2007
Greater Vancouver Regional District and its member municipalities are maintaining their efforts to minimize the risk of West Nile virus and protect residents. There is no evidence of the virus to date in the region.
West Nile virus is a mosquito-borne disease that cycles between mosquitoes and birds and can infect people and other animals through mosquito bites. Precautions should be taken to avoid mosquito bites and reduce mosquito populations.
GVRD municipalities have, for the past four years, undertaken a comprehensive program to identify, monitor, and treat areas of potential WNV mosquito habitat on public lands. Preemptive use of a bacterial larvicide, which is applied in stagnant water, kills larvae before they take wing and have the opportunity to reproduce. The larvicide used contains a naturally-occurring bacterium that is lethal to mosquitoes (and some other biting insects such as black flies) but does not affect beneficial insects, other animals or humans.
Even a small amount of stagnant water can serve as a mosquito breeding area. To help reduce the risk, residents are encouraged to eliminate common mosquito breeding sites around their homes:
- Empty saucers under flower pots and change water in bird baths often.
- Empty wading pools when not in use, drain tarps, pool covers and trampolines that fill with rainwater.
- Unclog rain gutters.
- Use fine mesh to cover rain barrels and containers that cannot be dumped.
- Remove used tires and other debris where rainwater may collect.
- Consider using larvicide — it’s called Bacillus thuringiensis (Bti) and available at home improvement stores — in stagnant water on your own property.
For more information on stagnant water and West Nile virus please visit our West Nile information page or contact Richmond Health Services at 604-233-3147.
