The Orihuela City Council, through its Department of the Environment led by Noelia Grao, has launched a new mosquito control and monitoring campaign by installing surveillance traps throughout the municipality. This initiative, carried out in collaboration with the Valencian Health Department and within the framework of the Entomological Surveillance Network of the Valencian Community, aims to strengthen public health prevention measures.
The traps, set up by the public company Tragsa with municipal support, are being placed in urban, peri-urban, and high-traffic areas such as parks, gardens, and near waterways. Positioned strategically on trees, walls, and streetlights, the water-filled traps are designed to attract and capture mosquito species from the Culex, Aedes, and Anopheles genera—known carriers of diseases like West Nile virus, dengue, and chikungunya.
These sampling stations help track mosquito population density and detect potential pathogens, enabling quicker, more effective preventive action.
Councillor Grao emphasized that the City Council continues to apply treatments year-round to control mosquitoes and midges across Orihuela, with extra efforts made in response to citizen reports of local outbreaks.
Residents are urged not to tamper with or remove the traps, as they play a crucial role in the city’s public health monitoring system. Interference can reduce the traps’ effectiveness and hinder efforts to combat mosquito-borne diseases.
Tips to Prevent Mosquito Breeding at Home:
To support this campaign, the City Council encourages residents to follow these home prevention tips:
- Eliminate standing water in flower pots, buckets, pet bowls, saucers, and gutters.
- Keep pools and fountains clean and properly chlorinated.
- Cover water storage containers and cisterns.
- Change water in containers at least every 48 hours.
- Install screens on doors and windows.
- Use insect repellent and wear protective clothing, especially at dawn and dusk.
- Report high mosquito activity to the City Council.
Through joint efforts between the local government and residents, Orihuela continues to take proactive steps to prevent mosquito infestations and safeguard public health.
