A disinfestation plan against mosquitoes carrying the West Nile virus was organized by the Region following the recent discovery, thanks to the active surveillance system, of some animals positive for the virus in the localities of Adegliacco and – in this case of two birds – a Tolmezzo e renunciation.
In order to illustrate the procedures for “reclamation” of the areas concerned that involve several municipalities, the deputy governor of the Region Riccardo Riccardi summoned all the mayors of the municipalities concerned this morning for a videoconference meeting.
The meeting was also attended by the central director of the Central Health Department and the director of the Prevention and Safety service of veterinary public health. With respect to the discovery of the West Nile infected animal in the locality of Adegliacco, the disinfestation operations will cover a radius of four kilometers. The municipalities concerned will be Pagnacco, Tavagnacco, Povoletto, Tricesimo, Reana del Rojale and the northern area of the Municipality of Udine.
After listening to the requests and concerns of the mayors regarding the start of the disinfestation operations, in addition to the opinion and indications of the directors of the regional health services involved, the deputy governor has established that the disinfestation activities will start tomorrow evening. Thus, the councilor for health explained, there will be the time necessary for the municipalities concerned to organize themselves to inform citizens in detail on the methods and any precautions to be taken during the disinfestation phases.
During the weekend, moreover, the disinfestation will concern some areas of the Municipalities of Tolmezzo and Verzegnis.
During the meeting, the mayors were also given some explanations and reassurances on the type of product that will be used. A product – as the technicians have illustrated – which is not an insecticide but a substance that is 30 percent biological that self-degrades on the ground after two or three hours, however, having an effectiveness against mosquitoes that lasts from six to eight weeks. The deputy governor also announced to the mayors concerned that in the next few hours the regional offices will prepare specific cards, for each individual municipality, on the areas and methods of disinfestations so that local authorities can organize themselves by specifically informing the population.
Similar treatments are foreseen in the next few days, as soon as the Region will appoint the specialized companies in the reclamation through the tender procedures, also in some Municipalities of the Pordenone area where some cases of positivity to the West Nile have occurred in some people. Through the blood donation surveillance system it was also possible to identify some positive asymptomatic donors.
At the summit, the exponent of the regional council also took stock of the situation from a medical-health point of view. Till today the cases of West Nile found in Friuli Venezia Giulia are 14. Some have mild symptoms. The most complex situations required hospitalization of patients. For none of the cases, the deputy governor pointed out, was hospitalization in intensive care necessary.