Large turnout for National Clean-Up Day in Port Antonio

AS THE fight against the Zika virus intensifies, residents, students, and the business community in Port Antonio turned out in large numbers yesterday to participate in the Ministry of Education's National Clean-Up Day activity.

A work crew from the Jamaica Public Service (JPS) showed up early at the Port Antonio Primary School to assist with the institution's clean-up activities, which involved the removal of plastic containers, tyres, cans, juice boxes, and other debris.

Head of the JPS work crew Simon Jackson emphasised the need for everyone to rid their surroundings of containers that can hold water, which could result in the breeding of mosquitoes.

"There is the likelihood of the ZIKV virus spreading and impacting all of us, including our youth, and so it has become necessary to rid our surroundings of material that will allow for the breeding of mosquito. We are here today (yesterday) to assist the school population and, as such, we are also engaged in the trimming of trees that hold water so as to prevent the breeding of mosquitoes," he added.

CLEAN UP ACTIVITIES

Jennifer Thomas, a restaurant operator who also assisted with the day's activities, urged residents to participate in the planned clean-up exercises. "What we are doing here today (yesterday) is a combination of clean-up activities," she said. "Some drains, especially in the Boundbrook and Rice Piece areas, are littered with plastic bottles and styrofoam boxes, which is conducive to mosquito breeding. More has to be done to ensure that the breeding sites of mosquitoes are eradicated, which could definitely reduce or eliminate the much-anticipated spreading of the Zika virus," she added.

Clean-up activities also took place at Norwich Primary, Rio Grande Seventh-day Adventist Basic, and Port Antonio High schools.