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Town prepared to spend $5K on West Nile Program

June 6, 2013   ·   0 Comments

The Town of New Tecumseth is on stand-by status with the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit for the application of a Larvicide Program to eradicate mosquito larva.

The Larvicide Program, implemented in 2003, originally only monitored catch basins in Alliston and Beeton. Tottenham was added in the following year.

The program was continued in 2005 in all three urban areas. From 2006 through to 2012 the Town of New Tecumseth was classed Tier 2 (heightened surveillance, larviciding stand-by).

The Town was not given an order to larvicide in 2012.

For 2013, the Town is again on Tier 2 and has not yet received notice to larvicide. Monitoring for West Nile virus will continue throughout the season through the Health Unit in all three communities and staff are on stand-by for the application of larvacide on short notice.

Should the Town have to spend the approved $5,000 budget to cover the cost of the implementation of the Larvicide Program, the municipality would be eligible for reimbursement from the province for up to 75 per cent of the actual costs.

According to the Health Unit – you can protect yourself from West Nile virus (WNv) by reducing pools of water where mosquitoes like to breed. When you are outside doing your yard work, remember to drain water regularly from old tires, plastic containers, wading pools, wheelbarrows and clogged rain gutters. Change the water in bird baths weekly and put screens on rain barrels to keep mosquitoes out. For more information about WNv and your health, call Your Health Connection at 705-721-7520 or 1-877-721-7520, Monday to Friday 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., or visit simcoemuskokahealth.org

By Wendy Soloduik

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