SALT LAKE CITY -
The unusually wet spring in Utah could create a new problem: a bumper crop of mosquitoes carrying West Nile Virus. So much water has hit Utah that it has left a lot of standing water, which is a perfect breeding ground for the pests.
"As it gets warmer, those wet spaces where mosquitoes are now laying their eggs are going to be hatching out and soon we'll have lots and lots of mosquitoes," said Glen Kinney, the epidemiologist for the Weber-Morgan Health Department.
The water has left plenty of places for mosquitoes. Just off 12th Street and I-15, a drainage area is now a pond. The Weber County Mosquito Abatement District said it has already seen larvae showing up in large numbers in Ogden.
"In a little dipper you might get 15 to 100 per dip of mosquito larvae right in the middle of town," said Bruce Bennett.
Health officials warned that as temperatures started spiking, mosquitoes will start hatching.
"As the temperatures in Utah go up, then the hatching increases exponentially, and where there were 100 mosquitoes there will be 10,000," Kinney said.
The Weber County Mosquito Abatement District is trying to be proactive in killing mosquito pools before they hatch to prevent them from spreading West Nile Virus. They've been spraying ponds and trees. The district has even offered fish to anyone with an ornamental pond to eat the larvae.
Health officials urged people to take precautions from dusk until dawn to stop West Nile Virus: covering up, wearing insect repellent with DEET and removing standing water from around homes.
"It's extremely important to check your rain gutters this time of year," Bennett said, noting that the gutters are often a perfect breeding place for mosquitoes that carry the virus.
Already, the Weber-Morgan Health Department said it is aware of two ponds that have tested positive for West Nile Virus near St. George. They expect everywhere in Utah will have some place that has virus-carrying mosquitoes.
"There really is no safe place anymore," said Kinney. "All of the mosquitoes have West Nile Virus associated with them."
"As it gets warmer, those wet spaces where mosquitoes are now laying their eggs are going to be hatching out and soon we'll have lots and lots of mosquitoes," said Glen Kinney, the epidemiologist for the Weber-Morgan Health Department.
The water has left plenty of places for mosquitoes. Just off 12th Street and I-15, a drainage area is now a pond. The Weber County Mosquito Abatement District said it has already seen larvae showing up in large numbers in Ogden.
"In a little dipper you might get 15 to 100 per dip of mosquito larvae right in the middle of town," said Bruce Bennett.
Health officials warned that as temperatures started spiking, mosquitoes will start hatching.
"As the temperatures in Utah go up, then the hatching increases exponentially, and where there were 100 mosquitoes there will be 10,000," Kinney said.
The Weber County Mosquito Abatement District is trying to be proactive in killing mosquito pools before they hatch to prevent them from spreading West Nile Virus. They've been spraying ponds and trees. The district has even offered fish to anyone with an ornamental pond to eat the larvae.
Health officials urged people to take precautions from dusk until dawn to stop West Nile Virus: covering up, wearing insect repellent with DEET and removing standing water from around homes.
"It's extremely important to check your rain gutters this time of year," Bennett said, noting that the gutters are often a perfect breeding place for mosquitoes that carry the virus.
Already, the Weber-Morgan Health Department said it is aware of two ponds that have tested positive for West Nile Virus near St. George. They expect everywhere in Utah will have some place that has virus-carrying mosquitoes.
"There really is no safe place anymore," said Kinney. "All of the mosquitoes have West Nile Virus associated with them."
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