Individuals should always plan their travel weighing the risks and benefits. The CDC Travelers’ Health page can provide information for both private travelers and healthcare providers to help evaluate the risks that may be involved with visiting a location.

When travelling and at home it is always recommended to avoid mosquito and insect bites.  There are several illnesses both local and abroad that are spread by insect bites.  Such as many years we have a period of time with concern for local transmission of West Nile Virus and Eastern Equine Encephalitis. It is always best practice to avoid mosquito bites by taking personal precautions.”

Arboviral disease can be prevented by avoiding the bites of mosquitoes or ticks.

• Avoid being outdoors during the hours of late afternoon and dusk to dawn and early morning, when mosquitoes are most active.
• Avoid high grass and brushy areas where there may be ticks.
• Take personal protective measures, wear long sleeves and long trousers with cuffs stuffed inside top of socks to cover exposed skin.
• Use an insect repellent with DEET, picaridin, IR3535, or oil of lemon eucalyptus on clothing and exposed skin.
• Make changes outside your home to reduce places for mosquitoes and ticks to breed.
• Clean gutters and empty water-holding containers such as buckets, tires, birdbaths, wading pool, and flower pots to reduce mosquito breeding sites.
• Cut weeds and brush from your yard to reduce places for ticks to hide.

All information presented is intended for public use. For more information refer to: http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvbid/arbor/index.htm