Providenciales, 29 Oct 2015 – Northern Turks and Caicos Islands are really feeling the bite of mosquitoes more intensely now as compounded flood waters from Hurricane Joaquin and a near week long rain spell are producing the pests more quickly than they can be killed off.
The Environmental Health Department told media, spraying in school areas was amped up to make it more comfortable for students, still Magnetic Media was last night informed that at least one school closed up early for mid-term break due to the inundation of the potentially disease infested insects.
Richmond Hills Preparatory told parents not to bring their children to school today because the mosquito attacks were too severe. In Blue Hills, one school reports to Magnetic Media that they are trying to fend off the pain of the bites by rubbing alcohol on the children.
On Leeward Highway a teacher says OFF has become like a second skin and in eastern Providenciales, residents are swatting mosquitoes, one parent last night expressed concern because her daughter was terribly bitten and developed a fever.
North and Middle Caicos say it is uncomfortable, using the phrase that it is ‘bad, bad, bad’. That business owner said he simply gets indoors earlier to lock himself away from the barrage of bugs. The mosquitoes he explained soured some of the community events on the weekend in North.
It was explained that a second vehicle has been added to the fleet in North and Middle Caicos; this after complaints in the House of Assembly by the Opposition party about there being just one truck covering the two largest and greenest islands.
EHD Director, Kenrick Neely explained that they are following a schedule which includes all areas but residents must continue to do their parts to keep mosquitoes away.
Mosquito bites in the TCI are of particular concern as the territory has recorded a significant number of both Dengue Fever and Chikungunya Virus cases.
