TERRE HAUTE —
The drought has lead to a drop in the mosquito population, and as a result, the Vigo County Health Department has not had to spray for adult mosquitoes so far this summer.
“The numbers are just not there,” Mike Grayless, the department’s vector control supervisor, said during Wednesday’s meeting of the Vigo County Health Board.
The department places traps throughout the county to monitor mosquito populations.
But that doesn’t mean the public can stop worrying about West Nile Virus, health officials say. The water that is out there is stagnant, and that’s where the Culex mosquitoes — the mosquitoes that carry West Nile Virus — like to breed.
“We still are concerned,” said Joni Wise, health department administrator. “People still need to remove standing water from their property.”
Culex mosquitoes are container breeders. “They like little tiny areas to breed in. They are not the kind flying down by the river,” Wise said.
People should still take precautions and wear repellent if they are out at dawn or dusk. While the number of mosquitoes overall is down, “that doesn’t mean the West Nile Virus mosquito isn’t around,” Wise said.
Statewide, there has been a significant increase in the number of mosquito pools testing positive for West Nile Virus, Wise said. So far, no Vigo County mosquito pools have tested positive.
The vector control department is doing its larvaciding program, in which it uses a retardant to kill mosquito larva before they become adults.
In other matters, the department reported that Hepatitis C is on the rise.
Nurse Christina Barbour reported the department dealt with 31 cases in April, 27 in May and 22 in June for a total of 80.
Among the reasons for the increase are illegal drug use and tatooing by those not licensed to do it, Wise said.
Sue Loughlin can be reached at (812) 231-4235 or sue.loughlin@tribstar.com.
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Mosquito numbers down, but West Nile remains a concern
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