Ler: No swimming in rivers and lakes in flooded areas this season

In the upcoming season, it is not advisable to stay freely in nature, swim in rivers and lakes in flooded areas, said Željko Ler, director of the Institute for Public Health of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina for the Bosnian news agency Patria.

- As for the water in rivers, they are contaminated as they are under normal conditions, but there is a large infestation of mosquitoes in all those areas from which the water has receded. Actions of spraying, i.e., fogging for mosquitoes are being carried out with the support of colleagues from Croatia, which will destroy about 20% of mosquitoes that can at a certain moment transmit certain viral diseases – said Ler.

He added that aerial spraying cannot be a one-time measure and is very expensive. Therefore, the Institute will recommend continuing ground spraying, i.e., from moving vehicles until further notice, because the mosquito infestation is intense.On the other hand, the soil has also remained contaminated with both chemical and microbiological contaminants.

- So agriculture on that soil is also not advisable, nor is staying in nature, barbecuing, and the like – said Ler.

It is also planned to implement preventive deratization measures in flooded areas, writes Patria.