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.