COUNTY LIFE
July 4th plans should include mosquito protection
With outdoor activities on the holiday calendar for millions of Texans next week, the Texas Department of State Health Services is reminding everyone to protect themselves from mosquito bites and the diseases they can bring.
The best thing people can do to protect themselves and their families from mosquito-borne diseases like West Nile and Zika is to use insect repellent every time they’re outside. Plus, recent rains across the state mean it’s an important time to dump out standing water around homes and businesses so mosquitoes can’t lay eggs.
Several types of mosquitoes that can transmit disease thrive in Texas. Zika remains a serious threat because it can cause birth defects if women are infected during pregnancy, and West Nile can sicken hundreds of people a year in Texas, resulting in more than 3,500 illnesses and 167 deaths over the last 10 years.
Routine mosquito surveillance has detected West Nile activity this year in the Houston, Dallas/Fort Worth, El Paso and Beaumont areas. The state has reported three Zika cases, all acquired while Texas residents were visiting other countries where Zika is being spread.
Some simple steps at home and while traveling will help people protect themselves and their communities from illnesses transmitted by mosquitoes:
- Regularly apply EPA-registered insect repellent while outdoors.
- Dump out all standing water inside and outside homes and businesses; scrub outdoor containers to dislodge mosquito eggs.
- Use air conditioning or make sure window and door screens are in good repair.
- Cover up with long sleeves and long pants to help prevent bites.
“These seem like small actions, but they make a huge difference in keeping people from getting sick or even dying from mosquito-borne diseases,” said DSHS Commissioner Dr. John Hellerstedt. “If individual Texans will take these steps, they will limit the spread of West Nile and prevent Zika from becoming established here.”
People should see their health care provider for possible testing if they experience symptoms of West Nile or Zika. The most common symptoms of Zika are fever, an itchy rash, joint pain and eye redness. West Nile virus can cause headache, fever, muscle and joint aches, nausea and fatigue. A more serious form of West Nile disease, in which the virus invades the nervous system, can cause neck stiffness, stupor, disorientation, coma, tremors, convulsions, muscle weakness and paralysis.
DSHS has launched a revamped TexasZika.org website with easier-to-access information on Zika cases and precautions, printable prevention materials, and diagnosis and testing guidance for health care providers. Information about West Nile virus is available at TxWestNile.org.
In recognition of National Adoption Awareness Month this November, Texas Community Counseling and the Heart Gallery of Northwest Texas are partnering to bring resources to Montague County families.
The two organizations will host an adoption, foster care and kinship care resource fair on Nov. 14 at the United Presbyterian Church of Montague County Fellowship Hall, located at 300 W. Nelson St. in Bowie.
The resource fair will run from 10 a.m. to noon, bringing together local agencies and service providers to answer questions and share information about support available within the county.
Read the full story in the Thursday Bowie News.
Members of the Montague County Historical Commission invite the community to join them on Nov. 14 for a Rolling Bus Tour.
This tour will cover the cemeteries in the south west corner of Montague County. You will have the opportunity to stroll through some of the cemeteries, others the bus will stop and Commission member Calvin Durham will tell the history of the cemetery.
The bus tour will meet at the Old Jail in Montague at 9 a.m. and return at approximately 3 p.m. The tour will include a sack lunch, a brochure of each cemetery visited and a book “This Soil will Grow Grapes” written by Melvin Fenoglio.
The cost of the tour is $20 for adults. There is no charge for children under 12. The commission members strive to preserve the history of the county and to share as much of it as possible with our citizens. You can RSVP by calling 940-841-2674 or 940-872-1007. Please leave a message with your name if there is no answer.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), in coordination with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), will conduct a nationwide test of the Emergency Alert System at 1:20 p.m. on Nov. 17.
FEMA’s emergency alert system is a national public warning system made up of thousands of radio, TV, cable and satellite and wireline video providers. Through the EAS, the President can address the American people or share life-saving information with the public during a national emergency.
FEMA is required by law to conduct a nationwide test of the public alert and warning system at least once every three years. These tests allow FEMA to identify technical or operational issues before the system is needed during an actual emergency.
FEMA and the FCC are sharing the test date in advance because it is important the public understands what to expect on the day of the test.
At approximately 1:20 p.m. (Central time), on Nov. 17, all the electronics providers will interrupt normal programming to relay a test message.
This message will state: This is a nationwide test of the Emergency Alert System, issued by the Federal Emergency management Agency, covering the United States from 1:20 to 1:50 p.m. This is only a test. No action is required by the public.”
When the test is concluded, normal programming will resume.
FEMA and the FCC are coordinating with stakeholders, including participating communications providers as well as federal, state, tribal and territorial agencies to prepare for and conduct the test.
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