Texas Plans Aerial Insecticide Spray as West Nile Virus Deaths Reach 16
#1
Aerial spraying of insecticide is set to begin over Dallas on Thursday night as the city battles the worst outbreak of the West Nile virus in the US this year.

Mayor Mike Rawlings has declared a state of emergency and announced the first aerial spraying in the city and its suburbs since 1966 in response to the growing number of victims of the virus, which spreads to humans via mosquito bites and is reaching epidemic proportions in north Texas.

"Right now, Texas has half the West Nile cases in the nation," Dr David Lakey, the Texas state health commissioner, told local reporters this week. "Dallas County has half of the cases in the state of Texas. So, about a quarter of all the cases in the United States are in this county. So, this isn't business as usual."

According to Texas department of state health services figures, 465 West Nile cases have been confirmed in Texas this year, including 17 related deaths – on track for the most cases since the disease first reached the state a decade ago.

Ten deaths and more than 200 cases have been reported in Dallas County, which with a population of around 2.4 million is the ninth most populous county in the US. Houston, the largest city in Texas, has recorded seven cases and one fatality.

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said that as of August 14, 43 states have reported West Nile infection in people, birds or mosquitoes this year, with over 80% of cases from six states: Texas, Mississippi, Louisiana, Oklahoma, South Dakota and California.

The 693 human cases reported to CDC through the second week in August is the highest number for that time of year since the virus was first detected in the US in 1999. At least 26 people have died.

According to Dallas officials, the pesticide to be used Thursday evening, called Duet, has been approved by the Environmental Protection Agency and is similar to products presently being used against mosquitoes at ground level. It will be applied overnight by Clarke, a spraying company, at low dosages of fewer than one ounce per acre by twin-engine aircraft flying at an altitude of 300 feet and a speed of 170mph.

Mayor Rawlings said that the spray poses no health threat. "I've been studying this closely, talked to a lot of people, the CDC, the EPA, and everybody says this is safe. Other cities have done this before – this is what New York City uses, this is what Sacramento's been doing for five years, and this dissipates very quickly and so there is no health effects proven and I think the science backs us up on that," he told HLN.

"Beneficial insects need hopefully to be gone and be down in the earth when it gets night, that's when mosquitoes come out. It does impact very small insects if they come in contact with it."
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/20...nile-virus
Reply
#2
I hope like hell they spray the shit out of them. West Nile is a nasty thing and if they can stop it, they should.

But once again, no one here has a CLUE what YOU think about it.......
Reply
#3
Hard to decide who to root for. It being Texas. The skeeters, or Monsanto?
Reply
#4
(08-16-2012, 05:21 PM)Larry Wrote: I hope like hell they spray the shit out of them. West Nile is a nasty thing and if they can stop it, they should.

They can't stop West Nile virus in the U.S. with pesticides, there's too much land to cover, too many places the mosquitoes breed to every possibly get every place, and the virus is already firmly established here.

All they can do is hope to limit the damage some. We are fortunate that, so far, West Nile only shows up occasionally here - so far.
Reply
#5
Never fond of most Texans other than Willie and Kinky Friedman, but this sounds like serious stuff and I hope they do all they can to protect them.

...so we can kick 'em out of the Union, invade them, and shoot all the pretend cowboys in the ass. And, in the name of all that is holy, I hope we don't harm the NFL Cowboy Cheerleaders. Maybe take them hostage and bring them back home. We could keep them up at Ponders place. God knows they would never be found there!
Reply
#6
Jackson County has an innovative detection system in place for West Nile Virus. County Vector Control maintains small flocks of chickens at various locations around the county, and draws blood samples weekly from them throughout mosquito season - apparently the mosquitoes that carry West Nile Virus attack chickens first, or some such. I don't believe very many other counties do this, at least in our part of the country. (West Nile has only shown up here a couple of times so far too, and late in the season).
Reply
#7
talent.
Reply
#8
Is West Nile in Talent now? I just saw in the news since my last post that it has shown up in Jackson County this year already.
Reply
#9
http://www.bendbulletin.com/article/2012...208160395/
Officials confirm West Nile virus in Southern Oregon mosquitoes
By Paul Fattig / The Mail Tribune (Medford )


Published: August 16. 2012 4:00AM PST
Mosquitoes carrying West Nile virus have been discovered at a testing site in Talent, according to the Jackson County Health Department.

A test by the veterinary diagnostic laboratory at Oregon State University confirmed the virus was present in the mosquitoes, said Belle Shepherd, the county’s public health division manager.

Spread by mosquitoes, West Nile virus can cause mild flu-like symptoms in about 20 percent of the people infected but may have more serious consequences for the elderly and others with existing health problems, officials said.

Jackson County Vector Control will concentrate its mosquito abatement in the Talent area along Bear Creek, Shepherd said.

The infected mosquitoes were found in that area, marking the first time this year any carrying the virus were found locally.

While mosquitoes with West Nile virus have been found locally in recent years, the virus hasn’t been found in a human in Jackson County since 2005.

Most people unaffected

About 80 percent of people infected with West Nile virus exhibit no symptoms, she said.

Of the remaining 20 percent, most have very mild symptoms, such as fever, headaches and nausea lasting from three to six days, she reported.

In some cases more severe symptoms can occur, including convulsions or disorientation. People with symptoms of West Nile virus should consult a health care provider.

Shepherd urged local residents to take precautions to avoid infection.

“The risk of contracting West Nile disease may be low, but we do encourage people to take appropriate precautions to protect themselves against mosquito bites," she said.

Precautions include:

• Eliminate standing water that can be a breeding ground for mosquitoes, including stagnant swimming pools, watering troughs, bird baths, clogged gutters and old tires.

• Use mosquito repellent when engaged in outdoor activities at dusk and dawn, when mosquitoes are most active.

• Wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants in mosquito-infested areas.

• Make sure screen doors and windows in your home are in good repair and fit tightly.
Reply
#10
Gee why is the guberment doing this? Aren't there some free market solutions? I mean we are down to bug sprayin, is that the job of guberment? It so are there bigger jobs as well. The messaging is confusing.Ninja
Reply
#11
When it becomes a public health issue it's grown beyond what the private sector can deal with.
Reply
#12
Santa Anna was in charge during the worst infestation Texas has suffered. Scheming half breed rats kissed The Pope's Bible, to do to Texas what they're doing to Oregon, now. Santa Anna should have stacked and burned all of them.
Reply
#13
What they need is more bats. Bats eat mosquitoes. Maybe the government can encourage residents to put up bat houses. Meantime, I guess they gotta spray.
Reply
#14
(08-17-2012, 01:09 PM)PonderThis Wrote: When it becomes a public health issue it's grown beyond what the private sector can deal with.

That's the point. Just wanna make sure guberment has a role.
Reply


Forum Jump:


Users browsing this thread: 1 Guest(s)