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Mosquito fight continues
By Mary Nelson, Daily News
Residents may see mosquitoes as a summer nuisance, but the main justification for mosquito control budgets in the Twin Towns is the danger of West Nile virus.
Wahpeton in the past few years has even increased its vector control funding to better provide mosquito control efforts.
These prevention efforts are increasingly important as the threat of mosquito-borne illness increases. Richland County Public Health Nurse Jean Smith confirmed there is one case of West Nile virus in Richland County. A male in his 50s is hospitalized with complications from the virus, Smith said.
Richland County Public Health received notification from the North Dakota State Health Department Wednesday. This virus transfer serves as a reminder for area people to protect themselves from mosquito bites, she said. West Nile virus is spread by mosquitoes that first bite an infected bird. The virus cannot spread through person-to-person contact or directly from birds. Symptoms range from a slight headache and low grade fever to the more extreme neurological disease or swelling of the brain. In rare cases it can cause death.
Most people show no symptoms. Once a person contracts the virus, they are considered immune to it.
Smith sent letters to outlying communities earlier this year about a program to help fight mosquito populations. "I sent letters to mayors in the area telling them there are briquettes that can be thrown in standing water available through the county," Smith said. These briquettes kill the larvae and stop mosquitoes from breeding, she said. Only three of the 13 communities picked up the briquettes, she said. "It's too bad, but maybe they don't see the risk because it's so bone dry out there," Smith said.
There is still time to arrange for pick up. "All they have to do is call and we can arrange for pick up," she said.
Richland has the first and only human case of West Nile for 2006. No horses or birds tested positive as of today. This summer's lack of rain may mean lawns in the area turn to a crunchy brown and the electricity bill is high, but one good thing is it also means there are fewer mosquitoes to swat.
This is a big contrast from the past few years when summer rains brought armies of the pesky skeeters to the area. Both Wahpeton and Breckenridge vector control workers were kept busy spraying on both sides of the river.
Spraying is not the biggest cost of mosquito control. Applying larvicide to ponds and other watery areas is. That still has to be done at many sites around the cities until probably the end of September. West Nile cases usually show up in late July or August, Smith said.
In North Dakota testing in humans for the disease began June 1 and there have been 119 humans tested, 14 horses, 20 dead birds and 553 sentinel chickens.
In northeast Kansas a 65-year-old who showed symptoms of the disease in early July and was later hospitalized, has died. The death is the first due to West Nile to occur in 2006. Last year the peak of illness onset occurred during the week ending Aug. 27.
In 2005 there were 86 reported cases in North Dakota, 12 of which were West Nile encephalitis and 74 cases of West Nile fever. According to the North Dakota Department of Health there were no deaths in 2005. Last year there were four positive cases in horses of the 53 tested, 17 birds tested positive and 27 sentinel chickens.
This is only a portion of the story. Subscribe to the Daily News to get all the news and sports.
By Mary Nelson, Daily News
Residents may see mosquitoes as a summer nuisance, but the main justification for mosquito control budgets in the Twin Towns is the danger of West Nile virus.
Wahpeton in the past few years has even increased its vector control funding to better provide mosquito control efforts.
These prevention efforts are increasingly important as the threat of mosquito-borne illness increases. Richland County Public Health Nurse Jean Smith confirmed there is one case of West Nile virus in Richland County. A male in his 50s is hospitalized with complications from the virus, Smith said.
Richland County Public Health received notification from the North Dakota State Health Department Wednesday. This virus transfer serves as a reminder for area people to protect themselves from mosquito bites, she said. West Nile virus is spread by mosquitoes that first bite an infected bird. The virus cannot spread through person-to-person contact or directly from birds. Symptoms range from a slight headache and low grade fever to the more extreme neurological disease or swelling of the brain. In rare cases it can cause death.
Most people show no symptoms. Once a person contracts the virus, they are considered immune to it.
Smith sent letters to outlying communities earlier this year about a program to help fight mosquito populations. "I sent letters to mayors in the area telling them there are briquettes that can be thrown in standing water available through the county," Smith said. These briquettes kill the larvae and stop mosquitoes from breeding, she said. Only three of the 13 communities picked up the briquettes, she said. "It's too bad, but maybe they don't see the risk because it's so bone dry out there," Smith said.
There is still time to arrange for pick up. "All they have to do is call and we can arrange for pick up," she said.
Richland has the first and only human case of West Nile for 2006. No horses or birds tested positive as of today. This summer's lack of rain may mean lawns in the area turn to a crunchy brown and the electricity bill is high, but one good thing is it also means there are fewer mosquitoes to swat.
This is a big contrast from the past few years when summer rains brought armies of the pesky skeeters to the area. Both Wahpeton and Breckenridge vector control workers were kept busy spraying on both sides of the river.
Spraying is not the biggest cost of mosquito control. Applying larvicide to ponds and other watery areas is. That still has to be done at many sites around the cities until probably the end of September. West Nile cases usually show up in late July or August, Smith said.
In North Dakota testing in humans for the disease began June 1 and there have been 119 humans tested, 14 horses, 20 dead birds and 553 sentinel chickens.
In northeast Kansas a 65-year-old who showed symptoms of the disease in early July and was later hospitalized, has died. The death is the first due to West Nile to occur in 2006. Last year the peak of illness onset occurred during the week ending Aug. 27.
In 2005 there were 86 reported cases in North Dakota, 12 of which were West Nile encephalitis and 74 cases of West Nile fever. According to the North Dakota Department of Health there were no deaths in 2005. Last year there were four positive cases in horses of the 53 tested, 17 birds tested positive and 27 sentinel chickens.
This is only a portion of the story. Subscribe to the Daily News to get all the news and sports.