Firstly, we extend our condolences to the victims of the hurricane chains, particularly that of Hurricane Irma, Hurricane Harvey and Hurricane Maria.
But as we scuffle through the forces of nature, there lies a winner lurking in the debris.
The darn mosquito
In the aftermath of a hurricane, there are many clogs formed by the debris. Water gets accumulated in those clog puddles and will be stuck in a stand-still, creating the perfect environment for mosquitoes to lay their eggs. Their population thus surges.
Massive increase in mosquito bites
This is why the number of mosquito bites greatly shoots up within a couple of weeks after a hurricane. People spend more time outdoors cleaning up the debris. The same can be said for many natural disasters like floods and earthquakes.
Spreading of mosquito-borne diseases
This raises the concern on the proliferation of mosquito-borne diseases. For instance, it was observed that West Nile virus infections grew by a small figure in Louisiana after Hurricane Katrina. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggests that there is an increased risk of these diseases as some of the mosquitoes are able to spread the viruses.
Protect yourself from mosquitoes
It is heartwarming to see authorities taking action, such as the Palm Beach County Mosquito Control spraying aerially on 270,000 acres west of Military Trail.
People are encouraged to wear covered clothing, together with repellent like DEET while cleaning up your backyard and homes. Install some mosquito killers around you while you’re at it.
Check out our infographic on the 6 quick steps to protect yourself from mosquito outdoors.
References:
https://www.wsj.com/livecoverage/hurricane-irma/card/1504901734
Hurricane Irma photo: Joan Nova
