It was only about two weeks ago that I read a story about the growing problem and concern in the state over a deadly mosquito virus that has impacted 13 counties, including Ocean and Monmouth.  The New Jersey Department of Health had just reported that two new cases of Eastern equine encephalitis were detected in Atlantic and Union counties, a month after a Somerset County man was hospitalized for the dangerous illness.

Maybe even more concerning is that 70 mosquitos have tested positive for EEE which is six times more than at this time last year.  Of those 70, eight were in Monmouth County and three in Ocean County.  While the disease is also one that concerns horse owners there is a vaccine for horses but none for humans.  The Department of Health is encouraging all residents to take measures to protect themselves from Eastern equine encephalitis and all diseases associated with mosquitos.  The best way to protect yourself is to obviously limit your exposure.  Of course to prevent bites you want to use the proper repellent, wear protective clothing including long sleeves and pants and make sure there is no way for the bugs to get in your house.  In addition, make sure to empty or change standing water in your yard to cut down on mosquito breeding.

Clearly all this talk about bugs has helped spark a relatively new business and that is professional mosquito control.  There are many companies that perform these services for both homeowners and businesses and I’m among those who take advantage of this.  My wife does a lot of work in the backyard and for years she could not go outside without getting bit by skeeters (they never bothered me too much).  When longtime friends Bryan and Chris Madigan purchased Mosquito Authority in the Toms River area we signed on as customers and the result over the past three years has been amazing.  They will be the first to tell you that just spraying your yard is not the complete answer but a properly trained professional can help drastically reduce mosquitoes and ticks which is another concern of many.  With alarms all over about the dangers of one simple bite, you might be wise to look into Mosquito Authority or any of the many other companies that perform these services, especially if you have small children who like to play outside.

Nobody likes mosquitoes and knowing that they could cause health problems is reason enough to do what you can to eliminate them from your outdoor surroundings.  For more information, you can visit www.mosquito-authority.com.

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