MRCU Issues Mosquito Advisory Ahead of Easter Weekend

You may notice our aircraft and fogging trucks carrying out operations more frequently until we are confident that the mosquito numbers are lower.

The Mosquito Research & Control Unit (MRCU) is advising everyone that there may be more mosquitoes across all three Cayman Islands starting around 18th April, just before the Easter holiday weekend.

This advisory comes after heavy rain on 7th April, combined with high tides, which caused flooding in some low areas. These flooded areas are perfect places for mosquitoes to lay their eggs. Normally, mosquitoes start to hatch and become adults about 10 to 11 days after flooding, so we expect to see more mosquitoes by mid-April.

To help stop this, MRCU has already treated all islands, including Grand Cayman, Cayman Brac, and Little Cayman, by spreading a special substance that kills mosquito larvae (the baby mosquitoes before they grow into adults). This treatment helps stop the mosquitoes from hatching. MRCU will continue treating areas across all islands over the next week. But even with these efforts, we still expect more mosquitoes to appear from 18th April.

You may notice our aircraft and fogging trucks carrying out operations more frequently until we are confident that the mosquito numbers are lower. These treatments are part of our ongoing efforts to keep the mosquito population under control.

We encourage everyone to download the MRCU app for real-time updates and notifications, and to join our MRCU WhatsApp channel for the latest news and alerts. If you notice increased mosquito biting, please email us at MRCU@gov.ky  with details of the time and location. This helps us build valuable data to respond appropriately and manage mosquito control more effectively.

What You Can Do if You Are Camping Over Easter: If you plan to camp outside over the Easter weekend, MRCU suggests taking these steps to avoid mosquito bites:

• Use insect repellent with DEET or picaridin to keep mosquitoes away.

• Wear long-sleeved shirts and trousers, especially at dawn and dusk, when mosquitoes are most active.

• Use mosquito nets if you are sleeping outdoors.

MRCU is working hard to protect everyone from mosquitoes and to keep their numbers down. We ask everyone to help by following these simple steps to reduce mosquito bites. Together, we can keep our community safe.