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Hygiene and pest control will always play an integral role in keeping the work and home environment clean and safe. Protecting your staff or family by enhancing hygiene at work and home is more important now more than ever before. This is especially true as lock down relaxes and people start trickling back to work. How to stop pests from getting into food – that is the question. Mostert Professional Pest Control services play an important role and the services we provide are vital to the health and safety of all. Food attracts pests no matter how careful you are – that is reason enough to ensure pest control is practiced during and long after lock down. During lock down, hygiene and pest control services continues to service customers as it is an essential service during the global pandemic. Food attracts pests no matter how careful you are

What Has Pest Control got to do With Staying Safe During the COVID-19 Lock down?

Disease prevention – here is a list of the diseases transmitted by pests

Numerous diseases can be prevented through the proper management of pests.  You must ensure the life-cycles are disrupted. Put into place long-term processes and plans in place to prevent them from breeding at a later stage.

• Dengue Virus – this disease is spread by the Aedes mosquito which causes multiple infections throughout the year. The mortality rate from Dengue Virus is less than 1% if detected in the early stages and if not attended to the mortality rate is between 2 and 5%; and if not treated, the mortality rate rises to 20%
• Salmonella – this bacterium causes diseases that are diarrhea-related. The bacteria are caused by cockroach infestations, flies and rodents
• Rat-bite fever – Streptobacillus Moniliformis and Spirillum Minus is transmitted by rodents. Untreated this can cause death

The Reduction of Pest-Borne Diseases Is Important

Many pests infiltrate the human environment. These include fleas, ticks, cockroaches, insects that contaminate stored food, mosquitoes, bed bugs, crickets and more. Insects can contaminate food and surfaces and, in this way, can cause diseases and viruses. We have all become acutely aware of the need for keeping surfaces spotlessly clean and disinfected. This is especially so with the presence of the COVID-19 virus. Keeping your environment free from vermin and how to stop pests from getting into your food is imperative, now more than ever before.

Pest control assists in disrupting the cycle of diseases which is the cause of numerous vector-borne illnesses. Vector-borne diseases are the cause of up to 900 million cases of a wide range of illnesses annually according to the WHO.

Interrupting the Life Cycle of Pests

Many pests breed prolifically and if they are left unattended to. These cause havoc and the spread increases rapidly, spreading in more than one area. This in turn increases the infestation and could result in individuals getting sick.

Infestation of Flies – did you know that houseflies can lay up to 75 eggs which will reach maturity in 10 days? Over a month, under perfect conditions, this could result in one fly producing as many as 10 000 flies! This is an alarming figure. Flies spread germs and dirt that attaches to their bodies from filthy feeding habits. This transfers germs and disease to food and surfaces. It is important to keep flies in check and to ensure all food and preparation of food is kept clean and covered. Remember to sanitize your surface regularly.

Infestation of Rats – rats are prolific breeders as we are all aware. In a short space of three months, rats can produce ten young and after six months, a pair of rats can produce up to fifty rats. With rats reaching full sexual maturity in five weeks the rat population can become huge in just one year. Rats are attracted to food and can contaminate food supplies as well as spread diseases and cause other damage to structures. They cause damage to fittings in roofs by gnawing through wires and structures by burrowing underneath. Food attracts pests no matter how careful you are

Infestations of Cockroaches

These hardy creatures are almost impossible to get rid of and can live up to 15 months each. In a short space of just 90 days under ideal conditions, a single female cockroach can produce 400 babies. Cockroaches are responsible for transmitting a range of diseases through their droppings and contact on their bodies.

At Mostert Pest Control services we are fully aware that many South Africans are reliant on our professional pest control services to keep pests at bay. It is our job, to ensure food is kept safe.  This will lead to improved health. As pressure mounts during the COVID-19 pandemic, it is crucial that we protect your premises and the population from all risks. This includes those that are associated with pests and breeding.