Oct. 07--An official with mosquito control says the county flew into action when notified that a case of a mosquito-borne disease had surfaced in the Golden Isles.
Ben Brewer, manager of Glynn County Mosquito Control, said his department reacted swiftly to a case of Eastern Equine Encephalitis, a virus that can be transmitted by mosquitoes.
It was found in a horse last week in Glynn County and is believed to be the first case to surface on Georgia's coast.
Brewer said he and two technicians went to the residence, the address of which he declined to disclose, to look for breeding areas, such as containers with standing water.
"The first thing we did was dump out the containers," he said. "There were a lot of those. We dumped out everything and talked to residents about trying to limit their time spent in the yard. We were worried for their safety."
He said the number of mosquitoes are almost down to nothing there.
"Within 24 hours, a helicopter sprayed 3,000 acres with pesticide," Brewer said. "The helicopter is very effective."
He said the department's action did not stop there.
"All week long, we have been sending traps to Athens," Brewer said. "We have sent 53 samples to the Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study on the University of Georgia campus to be tested."
There are nine different species of the insect in Glynn County.
Brewer said he hopes that one of the samples will test positive for the virus to identify the species. When he knows that he will know where it breeds.
"We know how to stop them if we know where they're coming from," he said.
Glynn County Mosquito Control is continuing surveillance and spraying of the property.
Cases of EEE have been reported in other areas of Georgia, but none them in humans.
The virus that causes EEE is usually found only in birds and in mosquitoes that bite birds. It can also be picked up by mosquitoes that bite an infected host.
Symptoms include high fever, lack of energy, a stiff neck and headache, most of which show up two to 10 days after infection. Swelling of the brain is the most dangerous symptom.
Health and county officials say residents should practice the 5 Ds of safety:
--Dusk -- mosquitoes carrying West Nile Virus usually bite at dusk and dawn.
--Dawn -- avoid outdoor activity at dusk and dawn, if possible.
--Dress -- wear long-sleeved shirts and pants to reduce the amount of exposed skin.
--DEET -- cover exposed skin with an insect repellent containing the chemical DEET, the most effective repellent against mosquito bites.
--Drain -- empty any container holding standing water.
Brkout
To discuss concerns about mosquitoes, call Glynn County Mosquito Control at 554-7111.
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