GALION — In an effort to protect residents from mosquito-borne illnesses such as West Nile Virus and Zika Virus, Galion City Health Department is distributing mosquito larvicide dunks to Galion residents. Dunks can be placed in standing water in their yards to kill mosquito larvae before they develop into disease-carrying adults.

Residents can pick up the dunks at the Galion City Health Department Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m. until the supplies run out.

The dunk packages contain two larval dunks which should be used to treat any amount of standing water – from bird baths to ponds; from puddles to fully flooded yards. Each dunk can last 30 days within 100 square feet of water, or longer within smaller areas.

Larvicide dunks are harmful only to mosquitoes, and will not harm other bugs, animals, or humans.

Mosquito-borne disease prevention starts in yards. By providing the residents of Galion with dunks, the health department is better able to stop the breeding of mosquitoes, and subsequently the spread of disease in the community.

For more information, visit the Galion Health Department website or call 419-468-1075.