Muskogee County Using New Tool To Fight Mosquito Problem

Muskogee County is recovering from the heaviest flooding in years, and all of the left over water is now a breeding ground for mosquitoes.

The county was recently added to the Oklahoma disaster list to receive federal aid for road damage caused by the flooding. As crews tackle the damage, they'll be fighting mosquitoes too, but they have a new tool to help with their fight.

One tablet, about the size or your hand, is all that's needed to keep more of the mosquito larvae from hatching, according to Muskogee County District 1 County Commissioner, Ken Doke.

"You're never going to eliminate the mosquito problem, but the goal is to at least put a dent in it," Doke said.

He said around this time of year you can't help but see and feel the nuisance mosquitos, but with all the extra water now standing stagnant, the mosquito threat is a lot bigger.

"Now that it's starting to get hotter and dryer the threat for the mosquito that carries the West Nile is a higher threat, especially when we've already had surrounding counties with reports of West Nile Virus,” Doke said.

So the County Health Department is taking preventative measures by providing tablets.

When county road crews go out to find damages and find little pockets of stagnant water they can toss one of them in the water.

“It couldn't be simpler. The Health Department supplied these briquettes, all we got to do is put them in the water. And it'll treat, like I said, that one tablet will treat this water for quite some time, and it'll treat more water than just what's here," said County Road Administrator, Bob Burgess.

The tablets work by creating a film on top of the water which prevents mosquitos from laying its larvae.

Burgess said even when the water evaporates the residual of the tablet will still work for a few months as new rain falls.

“We're dedicated to just tryin' to take care of the people and this is just a small thing we can do, he said."

County representatives said if you know of an area with stagnant water you'd like to see treated you can contact them and a crew will come out to treat that water.

In the meantime, you're urged to clear out standing water in your yard and practice other mosquito safety habits.