Given the expected warm weather this weekend (it's pouring down here as at lunchtime today) Herefordshire Council has issued a warning about the Blandford Fly.
Herefordshire
is set to bask in warm temperatures this bank holiday weekend, and
residents and visitors are being reminded to protect themselves against
the Blandford Fly.
The
Blandford fly is a 2 to 3mm bloodsucking black fly, which lives near
areas of water and gives a particularly nasty and painful bite. The fly
normally bites ankles and legs, as it flies low to the ground and is
most common during May and June.
Healthcare professionals have advised that bites can be preventable if the correct precautions are taken.
There
have also been cases of people who have been bitten booking
appointments with their GP. While the bites can be uncomfortable, a
visit to your GP is usually unnecessary, and your pharmacist should have
all the advice and products you need to reduce discomfort and avoid
infection.
Karen Wright, Director of Public Health for Herefordshire, said: “As the weather starts to get warmer, it is likely that we will see more cases of Blandford fly bites across the county.
“We
encourage people to take precautions if they’re out and about on our
rivers and streams, especially over the forthcoming bank holiday
weekends, by covering up and using a good quality insect repellent. If
you do get bitten, it can often feel very uncomfortable with swelling,
blistering, joint pain and sometimes a high temperature. However,
there’s normally no need to visit a GP.
“If
you do feel unwell after a bite, please call NHS 111 or visit your
local pharmacy for advice on how to ease your discomfort. For the
majority of people, the symptoms will only last a few days before
clearing up.”
Dr Mike Hearne, Medical Director at Taurus Healthcare Ltd, said:
“The Blandford fly tends to cause quite a severe reaction on the skin
with prominent swelling and discomfort resulting in significant numbers
of people attending their GP surgery or A&E for advice.
“Prevention
by covering up is ideal, but if you do get bitten, follow the advice on
the NHS choices website about ‘bites’: elevation of the limb and a cold
compress are really important to reduce the swelling. An antihistamine
may also help. Often people are concerned about infection, which
normally presents with a large red area (often 10cm or more) which
appears to spread. This may be associated with a fever or feeling
generally unwell.
“If
you are concerned about a bite, please phone 111 or your local GP
surgery, and only attend A&E if it is clearly an emergency.”