Latest news with #CDC-recommended
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Columbus among U.S. cities that are ‘hot spots' for mosquitos, pest company says
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – Mosquito season has arrived, with a pest control company naming Columbus as a hot spot for the insect this year. Orkin releases an annual list of the cities seeing the most residential mosquito treatments, revealing 'hot spots' for the bugs. For this year's ranking, treatments performed by Orkin from April 2024 through March 2025 were considered. Columbus announces $2B bond issue for November ballot On Orkin's 2025 list of the top 50 mosquito hot spots, Columbus came in at No. 23, jumping nine spots from last year. Los Angeles was the city that saw the most treatments, taking the No. 1 spot for the fourth year in a row. Chicago came in at No. 2, and was followed by New York, Atlanta and Detroit. Cleveland (No. 9) and Denver (No. 10) broke into the top 10 for the first time. California remained a popular area for mosquito activity overall, having five cities in the top 50, the report said. The list by Orkin is based solely on the number of treatments in each city and does not factor in population sizes, which likely impacted the rankings. The cities sitting at the top of the list are some of the most populated in the country. Beyond being a nuisance, mosquitoes pose a threat to people's health, Orkin stated. The insect causes over 600,000 malaria-related deaths globally each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). They can also transmit other diseases such as the West Nile virus, Eastern Equine Encephalitis and Zika virus. Poisonous plant rapidly spreading across Ohio: what to do if you see it 'Mosquito control isn't just about avoiding itchy bites,' Orkin entomologist Frank Meek said. 'It's about safeguarding your health and your community. Proactive measures are key to controlling these seasonal surges in mosquito activity.' Orkin recommends taking preventative action to reduce mosquito activity, including wearing CDC-recommended repellants, installing tight-fitting screens on windows and doors, trimming shrubs and grass, as well as eliminating standing water. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Denver cracks top 10 for first time in annual list of mosquito hotspots
DENVER (KDVR) — Denver cracked the top 10 for the first time in Orkin's latest 'Top 50 Mosquito Cities List.' The annual ranking is based on the number of new residential mosquito treatments performed by the pest control company from April 2024 through March 2025. Denver, which climbed six spots from 2024's list, was joined by Cleveland as another first-timer in the top 10, a move Orkin said signals a larger mosquito pressure in northern cities, amid climbing temperatures. Viral kangaroo escapes (again) in Durango 'Mosquito control isn't just about avoiding itchy bites,' said Frank Meek, Orkin entomologist, in a statement. 'It's about safeguarding your health and your community. Proactive measures are key to controlling these seasonal surges in mosquito activity.' Los Angeles took the top spot on the 2025 list for the fourth year in a row, with Chicago, New York, Atlanta and Detroit rounding out the top five. Mosquitoes are the world's 'deadliest animal,' according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which said the flying insect spreads diseases such as malaria, dengue, West Nile, yellow fever, Zika, chikungunya and lymphatic filariasis. The CDC said mosquitoes are ultimately responsible for more deaths each year than any other creature in the world, with malaria alone resulting in nearly 249 million cases and more than 600,000 deaths across 85 countries in 2022. Scooter riders will have new rules in Denver Statistically speaking, Coloradans probably shouldn't worry too much about malaria, however, cases of locally acquired mosquito-transmitted malaria were spotted in the U.S. for the first time in 20 years in 2023, with 10 cases reported across Florida, Texas, Maryland and Arkansas, the CDC said. According to Orkin, there are a few simple preventive measures people can take to help reduce mosquito activity, including: Blocking access to the skin by wearing long sleeves, pants and CDC-recommended repellants Installing tight-fitting screens on windows and doors Trimming shrubs, grass and other vegetation to reduce mosquito resting areas Eliminating standing water — a known breeding ground for mosquitoes Denver itself has a 'Mosquito Management Program' that the city says is designed to reduce mosquito breeding sites and larval mosquito survival. The program also strives to provide information and education to residents and businesses to help them keep mosquito populations 'at a safe level,' according to the city. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
12-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Mosquito control discusses prevention strategies
The Brief Pinellas County Mosquito Control is using chickens to test for mosquito-borne illnesses. Florida's Mosquito Control Awareness week starts on Sunday. Experts also recommend you keep CDC-recommended mosquito repellent in your hurricane preparedness kit. PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. - Eggs are a hot commodity, and they're not the only thing Pinellas County Mosquito Control's 56 chickens provide. "They're our first line of defense," Austin Deal, an entomologist assistant with Pinellas County, said. "Like a first alert system." The backstory The county tests the chickens' blood once a week to see if they test positive for mosquito-borne illnesses. "If it comes back [positive], we know we have that virus in the area and that lets us go out and control those populations before it spills over into human populations. Now, it does not hurt the chickens. They do not get sick from it. They are unable to spread it into our local birds. So, it's a win-win for us," he said. Florida's Mosquito Control Awareness week starts Sunday, kicking off the time of year when we start to see a rise in mosquito populations thanks to warmer temperatures and more rain. Experts, though, say mosquito season in Florida is, unfortunately, year-round. According to officials with Pinellas County Mosquito Control, 17 out of the 40 types of mosquito species in Pinellas are an issue when it comes to public health. All mosquitos need to breed is a bottlecap of water. "Anything from buckets, to toys, to sitting debris, if there's any water accumulating over the course of three to five days, a mosquito can find it and lay its eggs to continue a life cycle," Caroline Scott, Senior Environmental Specialist with Pinellas County Mosquito Control and Vegetation Management, said. "So, try to find ways to dump that out," she said. It's a good idea to dump out any and all standing water around your home at least once a week, officials said. OTHER NEWS: Grady Judd: Man with knife who wanted to be shot, killed by deputy in Lake Wales It's also a good idea to use a CDC-recommended insect repellent, which includes bug spray with DEET, and wear light-colored, long sleeves and pants to help protect yourself too, experts said. Pinellas County has 57 traps throughout the county that they check daily during the summer. They use the traps to identify mosquitoes, see how many there are and whether they're an issue. If there's an increase in mosquitoes, or a mosquito-borne disease that's prevalent in the area, they may do overnight treatments," Scott said. They also have a new helicopter that they use to pretreat large breeding grounds that's four times more efficient compared to the old helicopter. Scott said while they can't predict if mosquitoes will be worse this year because of last year's hurricanes, they do go into each season expecting mosquito breeding to occur. "It is unpredictable what kind of season we might have with rainfall with potential storms, so we just like our residents to be wear and to prepare in case we do see something like that again," Scott said. If you have an issue at your home and you're a resident of Pinellas County, county crews will come out and take a look for free. You can call 727-464-7503. The county also has a free tire disposal event on April 19 from nine a.m. to one p.m. where residents of Pinellas County are able to dispose of up to 12 tires which are a known breeding ground for mosquitoes, Scott said. What you can do Experts also recommend you keep CDC-recommended mosquito repellent in your hurricane preparedness kit. STAY CONNECTED WITH FOX 13 TAMPA: Download the FOX Local app for your smart TV Download FOX Local mobile app: Apple | Android Download the FOX 13 News app for breaking news alerts, latest headlines Download the SkyTower Radar app Sign up for FOX 13's daily newsletter Follow FOX 13 on YouTube
Axios
13-02-2025
- Health
- Axios
Georgia earns an 'F' on anti-smoking spending
Georgia is spending 4% of what the feds suggest it should on anti-tobacco efforts, a new report says. Why it matters: Cigarette smoking remains the country's leading cause of preventable deaths, causing one in five of all U.S. deaths, according to the CDC. State of play: Georgia allocated $4.3 million on smoking cessation efforts in fiscal 2025 — far less than funding levels recommended by the CDC, an American Lung Association "State of Tobacco Control" report shows. Georgia was one of 40 states that earned an F from the ALA for anti-smoking funding. The state also earned a failing grade for smoking restrictions, taxes, access for cessation services and banning flavored tobacco. Zoom out: Maine (107.4%), Utah (90.2%) and Oklahoma (89.8%) lead the nation in meeting or exceeding the CDC's recommended spending for tobacco prevention and cessation (quitting), per the report. Texas (3.6%), Georgia (4%) and Tennessee (4.8%) are furthest from their CDC-recommended levels. That's based on allocated spending for fiscal year 2025. Read the report
Axios
06-02-2025
- Health
- Axios
Anti-smoking spending by state, mapped
Only a single state — Maine — is funding its anti-tobacco efforts at or above the current Centers for Disease Control and Prevention-recommended level, a new report finds. Why it matters: Cigarette smoking has faded significantly over the past few decades but remains the country's leading cause of preventable deaths — and causes 1 in 5 of all U.S. deaths, according to the CDC. What they found: Maine (107.4%), Utah (90.2%) and Oklahoma (89.8%) lead the nation in meeting or exceeding the CDC's recommended funding levels for tobacco prevention and cessation (quitting), per the American Lung Association's new "State of Tobacco Control" report. Texas (3.6%), Georgia (4%) and Tennessee (4.8%) are furthest from their CDC-recommended levels. That's based on allocated spending for fiscal year 2025. How it works: The CDC's recommendations vary from state to state based on several factors, including statewide tobacco use, the share of the state population living in poverty, and the local cost of media outreach. The big picture: At the state level, the tobacco industry spent 2024 seeking "to protect specific tobacco products from taxation and to pass legislation that would result in state governments pursuing penalties against smaller competitors that sell e-cigarette products illegally in the U.S.," the Lung Association report says. What they're saying: In a statement, the association president and CEO Harold Wimmer pointed to recent data showing that youth tobacco use is at a 25-year low as a big win — but added that "the number of middle and high school students who still use tobacco products — 2.25 million — is too high." "In addition, 36 million adults in the U.S. still smoke cigarettes." The report also argues that the Biden administration's failure to ban menthol cigarettes and flavored cigars "will result in continued death and disease caused by smoking, especially among historically marginalized communities." What's next: President Trump ran in part on a "Make America Healthy Again" agenda but also stressed business deregulation and a hands-off government approach — a combination that makes it hard to predict how his administration will treat the tobacco industry.
