Thanks to a $12,000 grant Clermont County Public Health will be conducting mosquito surveys throughout the county and working to decrease the population of mosquitos this summer.

The money for the grant comes from the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency’s Mosquito Control Grant.

The Mosquito Control Grant Program provides money to public agencies to minimize the potential for an outbreak of mosquito borne viruses like Zika, West Nile, and La Crosse Encephalitis.

The grant provides a summer intern to set mosquito traps at four locations throughout Clermont County. Two locations are along the Ohio River, one is along the Little Miami River, and the fourth location will move throughout the county.

All mosquitos trapped will be sent to an Ohio Department of Health laboratory to identify the species and see if they are carrying, or are capable of transmitting West Nile Virus, Zika, or La Crosse Encephalitis.

“Only certain types of mosquitos can transmit Zika or West Nile,” said Health Commissioner Julianne Nesbit.

According to the Ohio Department of Health, there were 17 human cases of West Nile Virus in Ohio in 2016.

Two of those were in Clermont County.

“We don’t have the existing resources to be able to provide mosquito control in the county, so this grant will allow us to provide a valuable service to our residents,” said Nesbit. “If we respond to a nuisance complaint, our staff members will be able to work with landowners to reduce potential mosquito breeding sites on their property.”

The best way to prevent the spread of these diseases is to wear insect repellant, or long sleeves and pants, and to eliminate standing water on your property,” said Nesbit.

Mosquitos lay their eggs in stagnant water, and will use bird baths, buckets, or other containers that hold water as their breeding sites. “If you don’t give them any places to lay eggs, you won’t have as many mosquitos to worry about,” said Nesbit.

For more information on mosquitos, visit www.ccphohio.org.