ALLEN COUNTY, Ind. (Indiana's NewsCenter) - Mosquitoes are more than annoying. With the number of West Nile cases continuing to climb across the country, they can be dangerous too.
Allen County Health Department officials say no humans have tested positive for West Nile in Allen County, but 15 samples of mosquitoes have tested positive for the virus.
David Fiess is the Director of Vector Control and Environmental Services for the Fort Wayne and Allen County Department of Health. Since mosquitoes thrive in standing water, Fiess says the drought kept the pesks at bay for awhile.
However, he says the recent rain and warm temperatures have brought mosquitoes back out in droves. Fiess says the higher temperatures climb, the shorter a mosquito's life cycle is and the quicker it matures into an adult mosquito.
He says residents can help reduce the risk of West Nile by staying inside between dusk and dawn. Since some mosquitoes are still active during the day, he also recommends using bug spray when going outside.
Residents are also being encouraged to empty containers of standing water on their properties - swimming pools, bird baths, old tires, etc.
"It's easier to dump out a bucket of water that contains 1,000 mosquito larva - that will kill them - than trying to go out and spray and try to knock down 1,000 mosquitoes from the air," says Fiess.
Vector Control and Environmental Services won't be spraying for mosquitoes this year, says Fiess, due to a reduction in revenue. They will, however, continue to treat areas that test positive for West Nile. Fiess says Health Department officials would re-evaluate spraying in an emergency situation.
What are your thoughts CLICK HERE to leave us a "Your2Cents” comment.
TextCaster alerts from Indiana's NewsCenter are your defining source for instant information delivered right to your cell phone and email. It's free, easy and instant. Sign-Up Now!
Powered by Summit City Chevrolet
© Copyright 2013 A Granite Broadcasting Station. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Textcaster
Facebook
Twitter