Spraying for West Nile Begins in Dallas

[struggle4progress]

Source: KUT News

By Mary Mattia

... Starting today, Dallas County and the City of Dallas will begin spraying for mosquitos in an attempt to combat West Nile virus.

Officials in Dallas County have declared a public health emergency after the virus has killed nine people and infected more than 180 in the area.

Local leaders resisted spraying at first but now the mayors of Dallas, Highland Park and University Park all agree with truck spraying and additionally support aerial spraying. Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins is urging surrounding cities to approve these safety measures.

In Dallas, trucks will disperse the insecticide at night to areas with the densest amount of West Nile cases. The county is also asking the state for as many as five planes for aerial mosquito spraying ...

Read more: http://www.kutnews.org/post/spraying-west-nile-begins-dallas

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Dallas County declares a West Nile Virus ‘state of emergency’
August 11 | Posted by Robert Herriman
Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins has declared a Public Health Emergency in Dallas County due to the West Nile virus outbreak. Jenkins used his authority as the Director of Homeland Security and Emergency Management to file a Local Disaster Declaration with the state on Thursday according to a KYTX 19 report ...
http://outbreaknews.com/2012/08/11/dallas-county-declares-west-nile-virus-state-emergency/

10th West Nile virus death confirmed
The Associated Press
Published: Monday, Aug. 13, 2012 - 4:13 pm
DALLAS -- A 10th Dallas County resident's death this year has been blamed on the West Nile virus. A Monday statement from Dallas County Health and Human Services says a person living in north Dallas died from a severe form of West Nile disease ...
http://www.sacbee.com/2012/08/13/4722605/10th-west-nile-virus-death-confirmed.html


Fort Worth May Soon Consider Targeted Ground Spraying
Clusters of human case of West Nile Virus trigger amped up control measures
By Lindsay Wilcox | Monday, Aug 13, 2012 | Updated 7:17 PM CDT
... Fort Worth Code Compliance director Brandon Bennett said he may recommend targeted ground spraying to the Fort Worth City Council this week ... It's something the city has always viewed as a last resort but as more cluster of human cases are being reported, he says it may be time to get more aggressive. Code compliance officers spent Monday going door-to-door ... http://www.nbcdfw.com/news/health/Fort-Worth-May-Soon-Consider-Targeted-Ground-Spraying-166041816.html


Fort Worth Announces West Nile Prevention Initiative
CW33 News Fort Worth News Release
4:39 p.m. CDT, August 13, 2012
FORT WORTH — As the number of West Nile cases in Tarrant County increased to 159 on Monday, the city of Fort Worth is announcing a new West Nile virus prevention program. Residents are asked to help eliminate the at-risk breeding areas for the virus-carrying mosquitoes on their property, then go a step further by reaching out and helping their neighbors ... http://www.the33tv.com/news/kdaf-fort-worth-announces-west-nile-prevention-initiative-20120813,0,350530.story


DHH Confirms Four Additional West Nile Virus Deaths
Louisiana reports 37 total neuro-invasive cases; highest rate since 2006
Friday, August 10, 2012 | Contact: Bureau of Media & Communications [phone]
BATON ROUGE—Louisiana continues to see an increase in West Nile virus infections, with the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals reporting 15 new cases and four deaths from the disease. So far this year, six people have died from the virus, and DHH has detected 68 cases. More than half – 37– of this year's cases are West Nile neuro-invasive disease, the more serious form of the virus that infects the brain and spinal cord and can cause brain damage or death. This is the highest total of West Nile neuro-invasive infections that have occurred in the state since 2006 ...
http://new.dhh.louisiana.gov/index.cfm/newsroom/detail/2569


For Release: Aug. 10, 2012 – Pamela Williams, Office of Communications – 405/271-5601
Dramatic Increase in West Nile Virus Cases in Oklahoma
Public Health Officials Urge Oklahomans to “be Mosquito Aware”
Due to remarkable increases in West Nile virus (WNV) cases over the past few weeks, public health officials are warning Oklahomans to take precautions to prevent mosquito bites ... To date, 31 cases of WNV disease have been confirmed in Oklahomans from 10 counties. This number of cases already exceeds the total of WNV disease reports for the previous four years combined. The counties with the highest numbers of cases include Tulsa (9), Oklahoma (6), and Carter (5) County. Most cases have been neuroinvasive WNV disease, which is the most severe form of WNV infection and causes inflammation of the brain and spinal cord. Adults over the age of 50 are at greatest risk of severe neurologic illness and death due to WNV infection ...
http://www.ok.gov/health/Organization/Office_of_Communications/News_Releases/2012_News_

hattip: http://www.examiner.com/article/oklahoma-reports-a-surge-west-nile-virus-cases

[kestrel91316]

1. Big gubmint needs to leave West Nile Virus and mosquito control to

the free market!!!1!!11!!!

[dixiegrrrrl]

2. Our town is NOT spraying this year

for the first time in ages.
And we have the mosquitoes to prove it.
Have had outbreaks in 3 counties here.
Very unsettling.

[MrsBrady]

3. K&R from this DFW area resident n/t

[rainbow4321]

4. I think the local media is not helping..ALL age groups are at risk

They keep focusing in the people who have died and always add "the person had an underlying medical condition".

Yet there was a report on Ch 5 news about a 14 yr old Arlington girl who got bit by a handful of mosquitos, came down with neuro symptoms (numb fingers on one hand), ended up being taken to the ER, hospitalized with West Nile Mengoencephilitis. She survived but has a long road to recovery, her mom said in the report that the girl may not be able to go back to school right away when the school year starts here in a few weeks.

[appleannie1]

5. Pittsburgh and other PA cities have been spraying. A number of people have it and one has died.

http://pittsburgh.cbslocal.com/2012/08/06/local-mosquitoes-test-positive-for-west-nile-virus/