(NewsNation) — A new threat is emerging in Southeast Florida following historic floods: mosquitos.
The Florida Department of Health in Broward County has advised residents on preventive steps for mitigating the presence of mosquitos in standing water. Severe storms dumped tens of inches of rain across the county last month, including in Fort Lauderdale.
Officials in Broward County have been spraying insecticide to keep mosquitos at bay, WPLG-TV reported.
The county has advised residents to drain water from garbage cans, gutters, pool covers and other household items. It also asked residents to discard old tires, bottles or broken appliances that could collect water and serve as breeding grounds.
To keep safe from mosquito-borne illnesses, people should cover their skins with clothing or repellent. Socks, shoes, long pants and long-sleeved shirts are advise, particularly for those people working in areas where mosquitos are present.
Health officials recommend using repellent with DEET, picaridin, oil of lemon eucalyptus, para-menthane-diol, 2-undecanone or IR3535. Repellent should be applied to exposed skin or on clothing, but not under clothing.
For children, repellent should be not applied to their hands, the county health department advised. Adults should apply repellent to their own hands and then transfer it to their children’s skin or clothing.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis declared a state of emergency last month for Broward County after heavy rainfall resulted in widespread flooding.
More than two feet of rain fell in Fort Lauderdale, causing widespread flooding and the closure of the city’s airport.