Mosquitoes

Jackson and St. Clair counties reporting West Nile virus

August 15, 2007 -- SPRINGFIELD – Dr. Eric E. Whitaker, Illinois state public health director, announced today three more confirmed human cases of West Nile virus, bringing the total to eleven in Illinois for 2007. The latest cases involve a 56 year old Chicago man who became ill in mid-July, an 88 year old Chicago man who became ill in late-July, and a 59 year old Pike County woman who became ill in early July. The first human case of West Nile virus for 2007 was reported in DuPage County on June 15.    » read more »

08/13/2007 -- California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger today signed an executive order providing up to $10 million in additional emergency relief for local mosquito control agencies. The executive order supplements the emergency proclamation Governor Schwarzenegger signed on August 2 and the more than $1 million in emergency funding awarded last week.    » read more »

August 9, 2007 -- SPRINGFIELD – Dr. Eric E. Whitaker, Illinois state public health director, announced today the first death related to West Nile virus in Illinois for 2007. A 77-year-old Ogle County man died yesterday after becoming ill from West Nile virus earlier this month. The first human case was reported in DuPage County on June 15. A total of eight human cases of West Nile virus in Illinois this summer have been reported in Cook, DuPage, Kane, Madison, Ogle and Tazewell counties.    » read more »

Totals More Than $1.3 Million

08/10/2007 -- California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger today announced $897,000 in funding to be released immediately to assist in mosquito control efforts and West Nile Virus surveillance throughout the state. This is in addition to the $453,000 in emergency funding the Governor announced yesterday to fight West Nile Virus. This emergency funding is authorized through the West Nile Virus emergency proclamation Governor Schwarzenegger signed last week.    » read more »

08/09/2007 -- Within a week of issuing a West Nile Virus emergency proclamation, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger today announced funding has been released to immediately begin additional mosquito control efforts in four counties.    » read more »

09 August 2007 -- In Kenya, environmental researchers say they may have discovered a new, effective weapon to combat malaria. The disease kills more than 1 million people worldwide each year. The weapon is a fish commonly found in Western Kenya.

Researchers in Kisumu, on the shores of Lake Victoria, were studying insects and the environment when they discovered that by introducing a fish called the Nile Tilapia into ponds, mosquito numbers fell by more than 94 percent in less than a year.    » read more »

August 09, 2007 -- PIERRE, S.D. – South Dakota Governor Mike Rounds said today the state will provide $150,000 to supplement mosquito control efforts in 12 South Dakota communities. Each is located in a county that has reported human WNV cases this year and that also has a high incidence since 2002 when the disease was first detected in South Dakota. Aberdeen, Huron, Ipswich, Miller, Mitchell, Mobridge, Pierre, Rapid City, Sisseton, Vermillion, Watertown, and Waubay will each recieve $12,500.    » read more »

August 8, 2007 -- SPRINGFIELD – Dr. Eric E. Whitaker, Illinois state public health director, announced today another confirmed human case of West Nile virus, bringing the total to seven in Illinois for 2007. The latest case involves a 50-year-old Cook County woman who became ill in early July. The first human case of West Nile virus for 2007 was reported in DuPage County on June 15. Human cases of West Nile virus in Illinois this summer have been reported in Cook, DuPage, Kane, Madison and Tazewell counties.    » read more »

08/08/2007 -- California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger today added Glenn County and Kings County to the list of counties eligible for emergency financial aid to fight the spread of West Nile Virus.    » read more »

08/02/2007 -- With the number of people infected this year with West Nile Virus three times higher than the same time last year, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger today declared a state of emergency in Kern, Colusa and San Joaquin counties to prevent the spread of this mosquito-borne disease. This year there have been 4 deaths in California due to West Nile Virus (2 in Kern County, 1 in San Joaquin County and 1 in Colusa County).    » read more »

July 13, 2007 -- A Polk County woman is Minnesota's first laboratory confirmed case of West Nile virus of the year. She developed meningitis in late June after becoming infected with the virus and is recovering. Last year, 65 cases were reported in Minnesota, with 3 deaths.

Minnesota has entered the period of highest risk for West Nile virus in humans, according to David Neitzel, an epidemiologist with the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH). “Mid-July through September is the time of year when you’re most likely to be bitten by an infected mosquito,” he said.    » read more »

State health officials urge people to keep mosquito repellent handy

July 11, 2007 -- Warmer than normal weather conditions in June may put more western and central Minnesota residents at risk for West Nile virus (WNV) this summer than in previous years. While no human WNV cases in Minnesota have been reported to date, Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) officials are concerned that people may be exposed to the virus early in the WNV season, which typically begins in mid-July.    » read more »

July 5, 2007 -- SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Department of Public Health has confirmed through laboratory tests the second human West Nile virus case in Illinois for 2007. The Cook County woman is in her 50s and became ill in the latter part of June.    » read more »

July 2, 2007 -- PIERRE, S.D. – Temperatures are increasing and so are mosquito numbers, prompting health officials to remind South Dakotans of the importance of taking precautions to protect themselves from West Nile virus (WNV).    » read more »

June 28, 2007 -- AUGUSTA - The Department of Health and Human Services’ Maine Center for Disease Control reminds Mainers that while it is important for our overall health to enjoy the outdoors, it’s important to take some simple precautions that will reduce one’s chances of tick and mosquito bites.

“‘Clean Up, Cover Up, and Check Daily’ is our mantra,” said Dora Anne Mills, MD, MPH, Director of the Maine CDC.

• Clean Up unnecessary standing water, rain gutters, leaf litter, brush, and logs in order to reduce tick and mosquito habitats around the yard;    » read more »