Valencia City’s West Nile virus precautions

MOSQUITO FUMIGATION: Carried out year-round in Valencia City Photo credit: Lokimica

VALENCIA’S Health councillor declared that West Nile virus is unlikely to affect the city or adjoining areas.
Year-round anti-mosquito controls made it “practically improbable” that the city could be affected by the disease which at the time of writing had claimed three lives in Sevilla.
The president of Spain’s College of Veterinary Surgeons, Luis Alberto Calvo Saez, warned of the possibility of further West Nile virus cases in other parts of Spain, prompting Ciudadanos councillor Javier Copovi to request a prevention plan.
Garcia explained that steps already taken throughout the year to eliminate the mosquitoes that carry dengue fever, zika and the chikungunya virus would also combat those transmitting the West Nile virus.
These preventive measures were accompanied by constant surveillance, trapping and identifying mosquitoes.  The results were then incorporated in the city’s Health Map, Garcia said.
Fumigation is carried out in approximately 300 Valencia City areas that tend to be swampy or marshy, including El Saler national park, together with the irrigation channels in the outskirts of the city, the councillor added.
“All of these are checked each week, an annual total of 16,800 inspections,” he pointed out.

Written by

Linda Hall

Originally from the UK, Linda is based in Valenca and is a reporter for The Euro Weekly News covering local news. Got a news story you want to share? Then get in touch at editorial@euroweeklynews.com.

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