It's mosquito season! The pesky bugs are making their presence felt all over KELOLAND, and some may be carrying disease.
Brown County is now reporting a mosquito did test positive for carrying West Nile Virus. We talked to Sioux Falls officials about what they're finding.
It's the first of the year. Brown County officials did find a mosquito in a testing pool that was positive for the West Nile Virus. Which officials say isn't as scary as it may sound.
"It's not completely unheard of. It's a little earlier than it was last year, but there's been the right combination of weather," said Denise Patton, Sioux Falls Health Program Coordinator.
That weather combination is a mixture of heat and rain. Something Health Program Coordinator, Denise Patton, says Sioux Falls is experiencing as well.
"We're at a pretty high level this week, but we do plan on spraying tomorrow and the next night. So hopefully we can get some of those numbers back under control," said Patton.
Besides West Nile, the other big concern this summer is the Zika Virus.
For the past decade, Sioux Falls has only been trapping mosquitos that bite at night. Zika carrying mosquitos are day-biters, so the city recently got new traps to test for those as well.
"Should there ever be the presence of something interesting or new or unique, it's our job to know that first. So that's what we're in the middle of," said Patton.
Patton says if you're concerned about Zika or West Nile, you should trust the old standby's you've been using for years.
"The methods that you would protect yourself are going to be the same, regardless of whatever mosquito or whatever disease you're concerned about. Mosquitos are mosquitos and they bite, and you don't want to get bit," said Patton.
Patton suggests staying indoors as much as possible, but wearing mosquito repellant or long sleeves when you are outside.
Brown County is now reporting a mosquito did test positive for carrying West Nile Virus. We talked to Sioux Falls officials about what they're finding.
It's the first of the year. Brown County officials did find a mosquito in a testing pool that was positive for the West Nile Virus. Which officials say isn't as scary as it may sound.
"It's not completely unheard of. It's a little earlier than it was last year, but there's been the right combination of weather," said Denise Patton, Sioux Falls Health Program Coordinator.
That weather combination is a mixture of heat and rain. Something Health Program Coordinator, Denise Patton, says Sioux Falls is experiencing as well.
"We're at a pretty high level this week, but we do plan on spraying tomorrow and the next night. So hopefully we can get some of those numbers back under control," said Patton.
Besides West Nile, the other big concern this summer is the Zika Virus.
For the past decade, Sioux Falls has only been trapping mosquitos that bite at night. Zika carrying mosquitos are day-biters, so the city recently got new traps to test for those as well.
"Should there ever be the presence of something interesting or new or unique, it's our job to know that first. So that's what we're in the middle of," said Patton.
Patton says if you're concerned about Zika or West Nile, you should trust the old standby's you've been using for years.
"The methods that you would protect yourself are going to be the same, regardless of whatever mosquito or whatever disease you're concerned about. Mosquitos are mosquitos and they bite, and you don't want to get bit," said Patton.
Patton suggests staying indoors as much as possible, but wearing mosquito repellant or long sleeves when you are outside.