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West Nile Virus
In spring 2008, Department of Public Works staff continued the
City of Novi’s fight against West Nile Virus by dropping
charcoal-sized larvicide pellets through the grates of the City’s
storm drains. The treatment slowly releases an agent for up to 150
days that kills mosquito larvae. This same treatment will be
repeated this summer.
To help aid the cause, there are precautions homeowners can take
to reduce mosquitoes around their home and the threat of West Nile
Virus:
- Eliminate standing water that collect in children’s toys,
buckets, tires, unused pools, roof gutters, birdbaths, boats and
other containers.
- Use insect repellents containing up to 35% DEET.
- Use repellents containing not more than 10% DEET sparingly on
children 2-6 years of age. Do not use repellent on children
younger than 2 years of age.
- Wear protective clothing such as long sleeve shirts and long
pants.
- Limit outdoor activity at dusk and dawn when mosquitoes are
active.
- Maintain window and door screening to keep mosquitoes out of
your home.
- Clean roof gutters often to prevent clogging.
- Wash birdbaths weekly to prevent build-up of algae and dead
leaves.
- Keep outside food and water bowls for pets clean and change
water daily.
- Drain outdoor potted plants to avoid standing water.
- Keep swimming pools cleaned and chlorinated and drain water
that collects on top of pool cover.
- Aerate ornamental pools or stock them with surface feeding
minnows (goldfish offer little, if any benefit).
- Eliminate low-lying areas where standing water may collect.
- Mow your lawn on a regular basis, butting tall grass and weeds
next to building foundations and fence lines.
For more information on West Nile Virus contact the Oakland
County Health Division at 1-877-377-3641 or visit their
website.
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