Temperatures warming up and rain showers in the summer create a recipe for mosquitoes to develop and thrive, but communities across South Dakota are enacting measures to control the pests.
As of the beginning of June, the CDC’s website said there are no West Nile virus human disease cases reported in the state this year
Jamie Roggenbauer is the Public Health Program Manager for the City of Sioux Falls. She said keeping a close eye on West Nile Virus is especially important in the state.
“In Sioux Falls and South Dakota, we have one of the highest per capita rates for West Nile Virus in our nation," Roggenbauer said. "We always fall in the top 5, but we’re very consistently number one. And so, our mosquito control program is really made for that public health risk mitigation."
She said the city is keeping a close eye on trapping and spraying to keep health risks at bay.
Bryan Tipton is the Parks and Recreation Director for the City of Pierre. He said though their efforts in government are continuously underway, there are ways you can help.
“Cleaning up any stagnant waters, areas around your home. It’s amazing how many little things you can have laying outside around a garage,” Tipton said. “And when that water’s present, you can breed a lot of mosquitoes in a short time."
He said anything you can do to help goes a long way.
Tipton added that this year has presented a new challenge to the city.
"As far as like, having [the mosquitoes] tested, the State Health Lab works really hard with the mosquito program. One thing we’ve seen this year, just with budget cuts from the state, we do not receive the normal grants we usually get from the state to assist with mosquito control,” Tipton said. “But we still have the support of the State Health Lab, you know, to work on that part.”
Tipton said now about $15,000 to 20,000 for larvicide and treatments for West Nile Virus is coming out of Pierre’s budget, as opposed to the state’s.
