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‘Fogging not a remedy against Chikungunya!’ – Carnel W. Smith

September 23rd, 2014 | Tags: fogging Chikungunya Carnel W. Smith mosquitoes
Chief Environmental Health Officer Carnel W. Smith has warned that fogging is not a remedy against the mosquito-borne Chikungunya and that residents must take responsibility to remove containers and other receptacles that may gather water from around their premises. Photo: VINO/File
ROAD TOWN, Tortola, VI – Chief Environmental Health Officer Carnel W. Smith has warned that fogging is not a remedy against the mosquito-borne Chikungunya virus and that residents must take the responsibility of removing containers and other receptacles that may gather water from around their premises.

Smith was a guest of the radio talk show ‘Speak Out BVI’ aired on Tuesday September 16, 2014 on ZBVI 780 AM and hosted by Doug Wheatley.

He said that fogging is meant to kill the adult mosquitoes and not their eggs. He said that eggs that might have been laid and not hatched as yet will not be affected by the fogging and that people should not feel assured that fogging is the solution and that nothing else is required.

Further, he said that eggs can be laid in empty receptacles and when the rains come and those receptacles get filled with water the eggs can hatch completing the breeding process.

“Unless we attack the problem from that route we are not going to be any better off or safe from Chikungunya,” said Smith.

The authorities have been undertaking the fogging of various areas throughout the Territory in a bid to keep the spread of the disease under control but has been stressing that persons take responsibility for removing of all receptacles that may harbour mosquito breeding.

19 Responses to “‘Fogging not a remedy against Chikungunya!’ – Carnel W. Smith”

  • look here!!! (23/09/2014, 09:19) Like (19) Dislike (9) Reply
    Let we work with what we have until we can get to the root. Bring out the fogging. These mosquitoes are terrible BAD.....
    • Be proactive (25/09/2014, 14:06) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      Why dont we deal with the the root so we dont need to use chemicals for the quick fix action..... The more you use chemical the more resilient the mosquitoes will get to the active ingredients used.
  • tretretrete (23/09/2014, 09:24) Like (10) Dislike (15) Reply
    He just saying in a nice way to cover up for the NDP that the NDP ain't giving him the money to fogg that's all.
  • chad (23/09/2014, 09:26) Like (5) Dislike (14) Reply
    This guy so much into the NDP that they out fooling us about fogging because they prefer to see the people die than to spend a little of their consultants money on we the people fogging. What a set
  • Politics (23/09/2014, 09:49) Like (20) Dislike (6) Reply
    Everything is politics around here. Even the mosquitoes is politics. Lets be real. Even if it was possible to kill all the adult mosquitoes with fogging and you have a bucket full of young wrigglers in your yard, do you think that fogging will solve your problem? Also, anybody know how much the chemicals cost? They are very expensive. The next problem is that you do not want to overuse a particular chemical, as the mosquitoes would become immune to it. The final problem is that you do not want too much of these chemicals accumulating in your environment. The best solution to the problem is for us nasty people to stop leaving garbage around to collect water.
  • chad (23/09/2014, 09:57) Like (22) Dislike (5) Reply
    I hope that the blogging is done by a very small percentage of our population because the ignorance and stupidity that are blogged daily is embarrassing. You would think these bloggers know everything. Obviously some of them can read but have serious problems with understanding. So sad. And to think these comments are wrongly being interpreted as the views of the majority of the population. Word to the unwise - if you dont have anything with sense to type go read a book. Soon they going to blog that the politicians gave a mosquito farm. Geez.
  • mosquito patrol (23/09/2014, 10:20) Like (23) Dislike (3) Reply
    i would love to get him on anegada between the hours of5 pm an 9pm an experience what the poor residents over there has to deal with.i agree breeding pleces must be destroyed but the next line of defence I think is to attack the juveniles before they become adult. fog on anegada three days after adownpour on anegada. I visited a friend over there a few weeks ago and you visualize my experience. 10 mosquitoes on one arm 10 mosquitoes on the other, 25 mosquitoes on each leg an one dozen mosquitoes coming screaming at my face. pure torture an imagine those poor people has to endure this for two weeks on average running night after night. sir fog on anegada at least two nights during that cycle or tell them how to find every little pocket an every little well in the limestone bed rock.you look very sophisticated an intelligent there behind that desk . now do something intelligent for the people of anegada.
  • Conspiracy (23/09/2014, 11:27) Like (10) Dislike (5) Reply
    Think about, the more people get sick = more people going to the clinics and hospital for treatment = more money government makes to finish the hospital. Yes persons can do more to clean up their environment but government should also do their part to help prevent the spread of these diseases as well. Right now in Virgin Gorda chickengunia and dengue seem to be reaching epidemic levels as there is an alarming number of persons contracting these diseases every day but I guess someone needs to die in order for government to step in and take some form of action like inspection of properties and heavily fining persons who have not cleared their properties of material that holds stagnant water etc and fogging. My property is clear but the darn mosquitoes keep flying in my yard and my house.
  • pat (23/09/2014, 11:46) Like (10) Dislike (2) Reply
    The health officer is correct. No one likes mosquitoes but we have to be patient and vigilant in clearing places where they breed. My sister has respiratory illnesses and gets deathly sick with sprays, fragrances, detergents etc.
    Read Rachel Carson's Silent Spring about what sprays do to the environment long term. All those insects, lizards, snakes and other predators which eat mosquitoes get sick and die, what will eat the mosquitoes? There are natural ways to repel them like citronella candles, electronic bug zappers, personal repellents, etc. If fogging prevails, we could have a bigger problem down the road, like insects immune to spray. They we would have to go to a stronger one, etc, etc.
  • zoe (23/09/2014, 12:07) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    he and this fogging is the bigest joke
  • Really???!! (23/09/2014, 12:10) Like (9) Dislike (0) Reply
    What is the problem with walking in and around your house, looking for anything that contains stagnant water and throwing it away (including storing water receptacles/monitoring any water appropriately). I've done this because my family and I want to avoid Chikungunya at all cost. My daughter who is 2 has already experienced dengue fever and I do not want her to experience anything like it again. Every few days when I leave my house for work I spray (BOP Citronella which seems to work) to ensure I've killed whatever mosquitoes may be inside. I usually don't leave my doors open early mornings or very late in the evening as this is high activity time for these mosquitoes. I have screens on the windows so this is a plus. I mean I would be happy if the government could solve all our problems but we have to do what we can too to try and help ourselves stay Chikungunya free.
  • I,ve had it and I have had it. (23/09/2014, 14:52) Like (2) Dislike (2) Reply
    It is not under control and fogging will not hurt and if you cannot figure out how and when to fog then you need to let someone else deal with it.
    • shaw (24/09/2014, 22:35) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
      fogging can make you sick, especially if you have respiratory or immune illnesses. It is ignorance to say it will not hurt you. One cigarette won't kill you. But years of it will. So why start?
  • Informed (23/09/2014, 16:00) Like (3) Dislike (0) Reply
    http://www.ted.com/talks/hadyn_parry_re_engineering_mosquitos_to_fight_disease

    Please can I encourage everyone to watch this TED Talks video. The solution is here to reduce the
    Desease effecting us all here in the BVI.
  • facts (24/09/2014, 01:44) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
    While fogging will not eliminate the mosquitoes it is a major part of the control process when done properly.
    In the BVI there is no follow up fogging. Fogging is sporadic and takes place about two to three times yearly. Initial fogging must always be followed up in about two weeks to get those wrigglers who have become adults by then. With residents doing their part and good fogging technique we can control these pests. We know resources are limited but nothing should be spared in getting a sustained fogging operation going in the face of this epidemic.
    • Getreal (24/09/2014, 13:38) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
      Have you considered that we use cisterns in the BVI and sustaining that level of chemical in the environment would eventually affect our water supply and long-term health?
  • gee (24/09/2014, 17:10) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    ok. kill the adults there will be none to lay any more eggs. then another round when the eggs would have hatched to adult mosquitoes and VOILA....significant headway is made. that is not to say that the public must not also use insect reppeelant spray and try to avoid creating breeding grounds for the mosquitoes. no one single method may be enough to be totally effective but together ......

    i don't understand the reasoning
  • Skeptical (25/09/2014, 13:55) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    who came up with the name chikungunya it sounds like a fake illness, or like something you get from chickens


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