The “four pests”, namely mosquito, fly, cockroach, and mouse, are most prevalent in August and September. They transmit viruses and jeopardize people’s health. Considering that the muggy, damp weather this year is favorable to mosquitoes’ breeding, the Beijing Patriotic Public Health Campaign Committee has carried out three citywide campaigns focused on the “elimination of cockroaches, mice, and the breeding sites for mosquitoes and flies” since April 2008 to minimize the threat of virus-carrying pests during the Olympic Games. The fourth campaign against the “four pests” will be launched on July 20, right before the most rampant season.

According to detection results, the first three campaigns against the “four pests” have succeeded in keeping the overall density of virus-carrying pests under the national standard. Furthermore, the number of hazardous pests within a 2 km radius of each Olympic venue has been dramatically reduced; in other words, the density of virus-carrying pests in these areas has been greatly lowered.

The fourth citywide campaign against the “four pests” will give priority to Olympic venues and their neighboring areas (within a radius of 2 kilometers). On July 20, every Olympic venue in Beijing will treat breeding sites for mosquitoes and flies with pesticide. In order to ensure an optimal result, this campaign will be carried out by both professionals and ordinary people. Professionals will be organized by the venue administrations and take charge of all Olympic venues, whilst local organizations and companies will carry out the “pest elimination” work in the area within a 2 kilometers radius of each Olympic venue and other urban areas, under the direction of the BPHCC branches and street administrative committees at districts and counties.

As participants in this campaign, citizens should frequently clean out rubbish, water in vats and washbowls, and above-ground sewage, and keep the environment clean and tidy, thus eliminating breeding sites for the “four pests”. Moreover, citizens throughout the city are recommended to do the “pest elimination” work all at the same time (July 20), and help professionals spray pesticide so that the “four pests” can be successfully eliminated. We sincerely hope that every citizen can participate in the campaign. Together we will create a wonderful urban environment, protect our people’s health, and ensure the safety and success of the Olympic Games.