JIC Release No. 23 - Mosquito Surveillance Continues - GHS OCD

Mosquito Surveillance Continues; Pesticide Application Continues in Areas of Surveillance

The Guam Department of Public Health and Social Services (DPHSS), along with partner agencies, and the Guam community, continue efforts to mitigate the spread of the dengue virus on Guam.

No new cases were confirmed in the last 24 hours. There remains nine confirmed cases of locally acquired dengue infection since Sept. 11, 2019, and six confirmed cases of imported dengue infection since April 2019. Two of the three additional positive cases were sent off-island for testing, resulting in late reporting.

DPHSS continues to receive reports of suspect cases as a result of the department’s increased community outreach and timely reporting by Guam healthcare providers. Dengue is spread to people through the bite of an infected mosquito. The community is advised to avoid mosquito bites to help stop the spread of dengue.

Mosquito Surveillance and Control Continues
DPHSS is using a combination of methods to prevent and control mosquitos that spread mosquito-borne viruses. Efforts are being taken to control mosquitos based on an understanding of mosquito biology, mosquito life cycle, and the way mosquitos spread viruses to develop plans for controlling mosquitos. These efforts include the proper use of pesticides, tempered with the understanding that mosquitos can develop resistance to the overuse of pesticides. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, integrated mosquito management uses methods that, when followed correctly, are safe and have been scientifically proven to reduce mosquito populations.

The Guam community can reduce the number of new mosquitoes by eliminating the places they lay eggs. DPHSS mosquito surveillance suggests that Aedes albopictus is the mosquito species spreading dengue on Guam. Aedes albopictus lays its eggs in natural and artificial water holding containers, such as tree holes, coconuts, bromeliads, water barrels, trash, closed gutters, tarps, and tires. Generally, A. albopictus does not reproduce in large bodies of water, such as ponding basins and reservoirs.

Pesticide application at high-risk areas
DPHSS, through its vendors, continues to conduct pesticide application in areas of surveillance identified by the DPHSS epidemiology surveillance team as high risk. Pesticide control professionals apply EPA-approved pesticides to these areas of surveillance where written consent has been given by the home or building owner.

Dengue Presentations Provided
As part of an aggressive outreach commitment, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) continues to provide DPHSS with technical assistance on epidemiological surveillance, monitoring, and risk communications. Part of the initiative is providing informational briefs to all stakeholders and the community. Informational briefings can be made available upon request.

The community is invited to the following informational brief on dengue, open to all:

● Tuesday, October 8, 2019, at 6 p.m. - Merizo Elementary School

The CDC slide presentation by medical epidemiologist W. Thane Hancock, MD, MPH is made available to the public at the following downloadable link,

http://dphss.guam.gov/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Dengue-Basics-10.4.19-1.pdf-1.pdf.

For more information, visit http://dphss.guam.gov/dengue-fever/ or contact DPHSS, Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at (671) 735-0124. If there is an emergency, dial 911.

X Flooding is a temporary overflowing of water onto land that is normally dry. Flooding may happen with only a few inches of water, or it may cover a house to the rooftop. There are many possible causes of floods including heavy rain, coastal storms and storm surge, waterway overflow from being blocked with debris, or overflow of levees, dams, or waste water systems. Flooding can occur slowly over many days or happen very quickly with little or no warning, called flash floods.

To learn more, visit https://www.ready.gov/floods

Wildfire

Regularly clean the roof and gutters.
Maintain an area approximately 30’ away from you home that is free of anything that will burn, such as wood piles, dried leaves, newspapers and other brush.
Connect garden hoses long enough to reach any area of the home and fill garbage cans, tubs, or other large containers with water.
Review your homeowner's insurance policy and also prepare/update a list of your home's contents.

Fire Weather

Turn on your TV/radio. You’ll get the latest weather updates and emergency instructions.
Know where to go. If you are ordered to evacuate, know the route to take and have plan of where you will go. Check-in with your friends and family.
Keep your car fueled, in good condition, and stocked with emergency supplies and a change of clothes.

Drought

Conserve water

Take shorter showers.

Turn off the water while brushing your teeth or shaving.
Run the washer less frequently and only when you have a full load.
Water your lawn less frequently and do so when the temperature is cooler in the early morning or late evening.
When you run the tap to heat or cool water, keep a pitcher to store the water and use it to water plants.
Avoid washing your car.

Practice fire prevention

Don't set off fireworks when conditions are dry.
Deposit cigarette butts in the proper receptacle to avoid starting a
Pour water over camp fires and backyard fire pits to ensure they are completely out before leaving them unattended.

Follow directions from local officials. If there are restrictions on water usage, be sure to heed them.

To learn more, visit https://www.ready.gov/wildfires and https://www.ready.gov/drought

X
Typhoons/Hurricanes are massive storm systems that form over the water and move toward land. Threats from typhoons/hurricanes include high winds, heavy rainfall, storm surge, coastal and inland flooding, and rip currents.

“Hurricanes” form in the Atlantic Northeast Pacific region and “Typhoons” form in the Northwest Pacific Region. These large storms are call cyclones in other parts of the world.

To learn more, visit https://www.ready.gov/hurricanes.

JIC Release No. 23 - Mosquito Surveillance Continues