Practice the 3 Ds to protect yourself from mosquitos

While there are currently no active local cases of mosquito-borne illness in Pinellas County, residents and visitors are reminded to take the usual precautions to avoid mosquito bites. That includes covering up or using mosquito repellent when outdoors.

The highest priority of Pinellas County Mosquito Control is to protect public health and decrease the risk of mosquito-borne illnesses. In addition to data-based county-wide mosquito treatment and prevention, we also monitor for and respond to mosquito-borne illness occurrences. One way we do that is through our sentinel chicken program, which involves weekly monitoring of chickens from eight coops spread throughout the county for Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE), St. Louis Encephalitis (SLE), and West Nile Virus (WNV). The chickens serve as an early warning for virus presence cycling in our community. Pinellas County Mosquito Control additionally works closely with the Florida Department of Health (FDOH) to monitor cases of mosquito-borne illness activity in our county and respond with mosquito treatment to reduce the risk of the illness spreading. If you believe you have a mosquito-borne illness, please immediately call the FDOH in Pinellas County at (727) 824-6932.

The best way to protect yourself and your family from mosquitos is to practice the 3 Ds.

• Dump or cover standing water.
• Dress in loose, light-colored long sleeves and pants.
• Defend by using a repellent with a CDC-recommended active ingredient such as DEET, Picaridin, IR3535 or Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus.

Pinellas County Mosquito Control provides mosquito treatment and prevention services to the entire county, including all 24 municipalities. If you are having a mosquito problem, contact us for a free service request.

For more information, visit our Pinellas County Mosquito Control webpage.