Mosquitoes have an annoying habit of buzzing around your head, or alternatively, of biting you, which generally results in unpleasant bites. Read on to find out what you can do to stop mosquitoes from laying eggs, thus minimising the number of mosquitoes in and around your home. 

Wastewater can serve as an indicator of public health in the Netherlands. Many diseases that occur within a group of people can be detected in sewage. This includes infectious diseases such as COVID-19 (caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2) and non-infectious diseases. By examining sewage samples, we can also identify substances that tell us more about our lifestyle or living environment. Sewage research is useful and important, especially in conjunction with other forms of public health research. Read more: wastewater research: how and why?

SARS-CoV-2 is the coronavirus that causes the disease COVID-19. The symptoms often resemble the common cold at first. Some people do not become ill at all, or are only mildly ill from the virus. Others may become seriously ill and sometimes even die from the disease. Some people keep having symptoms for a long time after having COVID-19. If their symptoms persist for longer than 3 months, it is called post-COVID.

Meningococcal disease is an umbrella term for infections caused by meningococci bacteria. You or your child could become seriously ill from an infection caused by these bacteria. For example, you could get meningitis or blood poisoning.

Zoonoses are infections  that are naturally transmissible directly or indirectly between animals and humans. Domestic animals, farm animals, wild animals or rodents such as mice and rats, who may or may not be affected themselves, carry zoonotic diseases. 

Infectious diseases are diseases caused by bacteria, viruses, parasites or fungus. These microorganisms can infect humans and animals and, as a result, pose a threat to public health. The Centre for Infectious Disease Control of the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) coordinates the response to infectious diseases within the Netherlands. This page explains how infectious disease control is organised in the Netherlands.