ABQ sent crew to Ruidoso to assist with mosquito monitoring

The city of Albuquerque sent employees to Ruidoso for a couple of days to assist with mosquito control and surveillance — days after the village experienced ”unprecedented” flooding that left a man and two children dead.

From Tuesday to Thursday, the city’s Environmental Health Department’s team accessed areas with extensive ponding water, sampled for mosquito larvae and estimated the potential for breeding mosquitoes, department spokesperson Jeremy Dyer said.

“Mosquitoes aren’t just a nuisance, they can be a public health hazard after a disaster like this,” Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller said in a statement. “We will continue to work in close collaboration with Ruidoso emergency management to ensure we support their efforts to rebuild their community.”

Surveillance traps were set to determine whether the mosquitoes presented a risk of transmitting diseases such as West Nile virus, Dyer said. The crew also worked to determine the intensity of mosquito activity, and made recommendations on how to control the pests.

“We’re grateful to have them,” village of Ruidoso spokesperson Jerry Corliss said.

The city will run tests on Friday, Mark DiMenna, the deputy director of Environmental Health, said in a phone interview.

“Our mission (was) to survey and assess the extent of standing water in order to determine the potential impact on mosquito abundance,” DiMenna said. “Mosquito numbers can explode after flooding events, adding risk of disease transmission and nuisance to an already challenging situation.”

To minimize mosquito bites and prevent exposure to diseases, Dyer said, people can:

• Use insect repellent on exposed skin and clothing. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends repellents that have been proven effective, including those with DEET, picaridin, oil of lemon eucalyptus or IR3535 for the skin, and permethrin for clothing. “Always follow label directions when using insect repellents,” Dyer said.
• Do not plan outdoor activities at dawn and dusk when mosquitoes are most active.
• Get rid of water-holding containers where mosquitoes lay their eggs and regularly change the water in birdbaths, wading pools and pet water bowls. Make sure rain barrels are tightly screened, he said.
• When flood irrigating, prevent water from standing for more than a few days.
• Keep windows and doors closed if they do not have screens. If people leave them open, they should make sure they have screens that fit tightly and do not have holes.

For more information, Dyer said, people can visit cabq.gov/mosquitoes.