GRAND CAYMAN (GIS) – With aerial spraying unavailable for the duration of this week the Mosquito Research and Control Unit (MRCU) has strengthened ground control measures aimed at reducing the mosquito populations on Grand Cayman.

            As such four fogging trucks have been out around the Island each night since the MRCU plane last sprayed on Friday, 7 June 2019.

            MRCU Director Jim McNelly, PhD, explains that the Department had experienced some procurement challenges after making the decision recently to change the chemical solution it uses in aerial spraying.

“A regrettable time lag between the depletion of the previous product and the arrival of the new product has meant that aerial spraying will be unavailable to us for up to a week-and-a-half. We understand any concerns the public may have, and in addition to increasing ground spraying during this period are working to land the product on Island as quickly as possible”, Dr McNelly says.

He notes that the unavailability of aerial spraying has the potential to impact only nuisance mosquitoes, as MRCU has separate measures in place to control disease-carrying mosquitoes. 

The MRCU plane is expected to resume flights on Grand Cayman next Wednesday, weather permitting. Prior to that aerial larviciding is scheduled to be performed on Cayman Brac and Little Cayman on Monday and Tuesday.