LUCEA, Hanover — The Hanover health department recently began the final phase of its mosquito eradication programme to prevent the spread of mosquito-borne diseases, like the dreaded West Nile virus, in the parish.

In order to safeguard against the disease, said chief public health inspector, Derrick Storer, special attention would be paid to areas where there are horses. There will also be special focus on the species of mosquito known to carry the West Nile Virus.

In humans, the virus is said to cause diarrhoea, fever, a loss of appetite and body weight and even death.

Meanwhile, Storer said, the health department had set up observation sites at the Chukka Cove riding stables in Eastern Hanover, and at the Rhodes Hall riding stables in Western Hanover.

“Around those areas there is a large concentration of mosquitoes that carry the virus. We are not saying that the virus is here, but the vector that carry the virus can be found in those areas,” Storer told JIS News.

“We will be doing source reduction in the day, and then in the nights we will concentrate on eliminating the adult mosquitoes by the use of residual fogging,” he added.

The programme, which began late last year, is to be completed over a two-to-three week period and is being funded by the Hanover Parish Council and the Ministry of Health, through the parish health department.