Following the death of two horses in the county, the Cayuga County Health Department is seeking an “imminent threat to public health” designation from the state Department of Health.
The designation would allow the county to obtain additional funding necessary to combat and raise awareness about Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE), the cause of the aforementioned horses’ deaths.
Mosquito pools in several area counties, including Onondaga and Oswego Contires, have tested positive for EEE and the West Nile Virus.
EEE is a mosquito-borne disease that can be severe in certain cases. While no human cases have been reported in the county to date, the health department has offered tips to stay safe from the virus. They include:
- Avoid being outdoors from dusk to dawn when mosquitoes are most active
- If you are outside during active times, wear mosquito repellent and wear long pants, long-sleeved shirts, socks, and closed-toe shoes
- Make sure screens on home windows and doors are tight-fitting and free from tears.
- Prevent stagnant water where mosquitoes lay eggs by
- turning over wheelbarrows:
- regularly changing the water in bird baths
- properly maintaining swimming pools
- eliminating low spots on your property where rainwater may accumulate
- cleaning clogged gutters
- removing unused tires from your property
- drilling holes in the bottoms of recycling containers
- If you own a horse, discuss preventative methods with your veterinarian such as vaccination against EEEV
One week after the first Cayuga County horse died of EEE, a horse in neighboring Wayne County was found to be sick with the disease.
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