Monday, July 3, 2017

Fumigation, Zika, Chikungunya, Dengue

The rainy season is back, and with it come the all sorts of flying insects from which we had enjoyed rest during the 6 months of dry season.  Among these insects is our most hated insect, the mosquito.  One particular type of mosquito (Aedes Aegypti) is a carrier of several different illnesses including the Zika virus, Yellow Fever, Chikungunya, and Dengue Fever.

Heavy rains flood sidewalks at NCA International
Our family has been affected by each of these illnesses over the past 17 years.  Jessica and Liam have both had Dengue in our earlier years in Nicaragua and as many of you know, Jessica and Asher also both contracted Chikungunya a few years ago.  

The newest concern, Zika, swept through Nicaragua in 2016 and most of our family got it at one point last year.  Although not as serious as Chikungunya, with effects lasting less than a week, we are grateful that we were spared from one of the biggest concerns related to Zika, which is believed to increase risk of birth defects when the mother is affected during pregnancy.

NCA, as well as the department of health in Nicaragua, works hard to reduce mosquito populations.  In addition to common-sense practices like eliminating puddles and buckets of stagnant water, fumigation is a very common practice.  Trucks drive through neighborhoods spraying an insecticide mixed with diesel spray to help combat insect plagues.  At NCA we regularly fumigate our campus and classrooms during the rainy season in an attempt to reduce the risk of our students contracting mosquito-borne viruses while at school.
NCA International maintenance staff fumigates Second Grade classroom