Second Mosquito Tests Positive for West Nile Virus in Suffolk; Residents Urged

They’ve invaded central Indiana and won’t be leaving anytime soon.

Curt Anderson, environmental health director at the Auglaize County Health Department, said staying indoors at certain times of the day is the best way to avoid mosquito bites. A lot of these are – they are all mosquito born. “I expect the rain will continue to produce mosquitoes”.

“This can be a challenge after flooding because it is almost impossible to remove or treat all the standing water”, the release said.

Howard Russell, an entomologist for Michigan State University’s Plant Soil and Microbial Sciences Department, says people also should wear loose fitting clothing, jeans and long-sleeve shirts when mosquitoes get busy.

Though mosquitoes live outside, they can also get into homes through open windows and doors.

Marion County Mosquito Control monitors dozens of traps setup throughout the county to track the mosquito population.

Public health officials offer the following advice to avoid being bitten and encourage all Montanans to remember the 4 D’s of West Nile virus prevention to reduce their chances of becoming ill.

Mosquitoes in Texas can carry West Nile virus, which is mostly a threat to the very young, old or immune compromised. However, some of those species can be found in Sheridan County.

Dead birds found on area properties may indicate the presence of West Nile virus in the area. Last year, 2,205 cases of WNV disease and 97 related deaths were reported in the United States.

“It can creep up in a hurry if the weather changes dramatically”, Grau said. “In their thought process, they thought we were set up for this summer, and they did not apply”.

“We should be getting out of tree pollen season and more into grass and weed pollen as we go deeper into the summer”, he said.

Back in Rapid City, the mosquito control program includes two insecticide fogging machines for broader applications and one sprayer for more focused applications, plus briquettes that are placed in standing water where mosquitoes multiply.