Reggio Emilia initiated a targeted mosquito extermination protocol following a suspected case of chikungunya, a viral fever transmitted by the tiger mosquito. The response stems directly from an emergency ordinance issued by the municipality.
Targeted Protocol Triggered by Suspected Fever Case
The preventive treatments target an area of about 100 meters from specific streets in the city.
Three-Phase Vector Reduction Strategy
The municipal plan involves three distinct phases to curb the insect population.
According to the municipal ordinance, operators execute adulticide treatments at dawn in public areas for three consecutive days. This timeline aims to achieve the maximum possible reduction in mosquito density.
Simultaneously, teams conduct door-to-door inspections in private areas to locate and eliminate breeding sites. Workers also apply larvicide treatments to public drainage systems.
During the morning inspections, personnel access only exterior areas and do not enter private homes.
Green Space Closures and Indoor Mandates
Authorities closed public access to specific green spaces until the health emergency concludes. The closures affect the green area situated between the pedestrian-cycle path and the railway, stretching from number 120 of via Carretti to number 55 of via Garagnani.
The restriction also encompasses the green space bordering numbers 29, 31, 45, 53, and 55 of via Garagnani, along with the adjacent parking lot.
According to municipal guidelines, residents living within the treatment zones must keep doors and windows firmly closed during the night. They must also suspend mechanical ventilation and air exchange systems.
Safety Rules for Pets, Produce, and Play Areas
Pet owners must keep domestic animals indoors during the operations. Outdoor pet shelters, bowls, and drinking troughs require protection with plastic sheeting.
Produce grown in gardens must be hermetically covered. According to the health directives, residents cannot consume fruits and vegetables exposed to insecticides until a 15-day withholding period passes.
Following this interval, produce requires thorough washing, and fruit must be peeled before consumption. Outdoor children’s toys and garden furniture exposed to the treatments must be cleaned using washable gloves.
Anyone experiencing accidental contact with the insecticide product must immediately wash the affected skin thoroughly with soap and water.
Weather Delays and Contingency Testing
The municipality confirmed that if laboratory tests return a negative result for chikungunya, authorities will immediately suspend the disinfestations.
Adverse weather conditions, such as rain or strong winds, automatically postpone the treatment schedule. Operations will resume on the nights immediately following the cessation of the atmospheric disturbance until the full cycle of disinfestations is complete.
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