Latest news with #WestNilevirus
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
How do I avoid ticks and mosquitoes this summer?
ROCKFORD, Ill. (WTVO) — The mild winter season was great for drivers, but residents can expect an influx of insects this summer as a result. The Winnebago County Health Department recently mosquitoes containing West Nile Virus, but it came earlier than expected. 'We've seen West Nile in our area for over 25 years,' Environmental Health Supervisor Ryan Kerch said. 'This is a bit earlier than we normally see it, so we're just sending out the reminder to everybody that mosquitoes can carry this disease.' Kerch is encouraging homeowners to limit areas of water around the house. 'The mosquitoes that can transmit West Nile virus like to lay their eggs in areas of stagnant water around the home; anything that can hold rainwater,' Kerch said. 'So, getting rid of those things will do a lot to get rid of bad mosquitoes.' Tick season is also underway, and experts from the Boone County Conservation District are extending warnings to those looking to hit the trails this summer. 'Wear long sleeves, long pants, and tuck your pants into your socks,' Executive Director Josh Sage said. 'Any type of bug repellent also helps.' Ticks like to hide in the hairline, behind the ears, behind the kneecaps, and on the backs of the arms, according to Sage. He encouraged hikers to check themselves and their backpacks for ticks. 'As long as you are diligent about doing tick checks after you come in from being outside, you'll be fine,' Sage said. 'One other thing you can do when you're out hiking is walk down the middle of the trail and try and avoid the tall grass or the trees overhead.' Both Sage and Kerch said they aren't trying to stray people away from going outside. 'We're not telling people not to enjoy the outdoors again,' Kerch said. 'Just take those precautions, use those protective measures to try and avoid it, too, in the first place.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
22-04-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
April showers bring mosquito surge to the Ozarks
Everyone knows it's been a rainy April. Springfield has measured over 10″ of rain in a month that averages just shy of 5″. In fact, we are on track to break the record for the total rainfall in Springfield in April! Many spots in the Ozarks are on that same track to break monthly rainfall records. Temperatures have been average for April. The warmest temperature so far was 84° on the 13th, while the coldest temperature was 27° on the morning of the 7th. The overall monthly temperature average is currently 55.5°, 0.2° below normal. Consistent rain and consistent mild temperatures come together to create the perfect breeding conditions for an unpopular pest: mosquitoes. Mosquito season in the Ozarks runs from April through September and this insect loves warm and wet weather. Mosquitoes will become more common as temperatures warm. This year, mosquito populations in the Ozarks may be higher than normal thanks to the extremely favorable weather conditions we've seen in April. Mosquitoes need standing water to lay their eggs. Given all the rain, there is plenty of standing water around the Ozarks. How can you lower the mosquito population? Dump out areas of standing water! Buckets, barrels, flower pots, old tires, and any other containers that could contain standing water should be flipped and drained. This reduces the number of options mosquitoes have to lay their larvae. Other steps helpful in mitigating mosquito populations include using pesticides and keeping the yard mowed. When outside, you can keep mosquitoes away by using bug repellent, wearing long sleeves, and avoiding wearing perfumes or other fragrances that can attract mosquitoes. Now, if you are bitten by a mosquito, you can expect nothing more than an irritable and itchy bite area. However, mosquitoes do carry diseases, including West Nile virus and the Zika virus. Less than 1% of mosquitoes carry the West Nile virus, and of those bitten by a mosquito carrying the virus, just 1% become ill. Therefore, your risk of getting West Nile virus is very low, but you likely won't want to risk it! Visit the links below for more information about mosquitoes in the Ozarks: Missouri Department of ConservationMissouri State ParksMosquito Squad Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
01-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Portsmouth mosquito monitoring, Dover awards: Community news update
PORTSMOUTH — The city announced its mosquito control program will begin monitoring on April 7. The city has contracted with Dragon Mosquito Control, Inc. to check swamps, salt marshes, woodland pools, ditches, catch basins and other shallow, stagnant water for mosquito larvae. Citywide spraying for adult mosquitoes is not planned. Any decision to conduct emergency spraying of adult mosquitoes on city-owned property is made by city officials in collaboration with Dragon Mosquito Control and is based on mosquito surveillance data, disease test results, and weather conditions. Diseases such as eastern equine encephalitis (EEE) and West Nile virus are generally found in mosquitoes during the latter part of the summer and early fall. Residents will be advised in advance if spraying is planned. Residents who do not want their property treated can sign up with the No-Spray Registry at or write to Dragon Mosquito Control, Inc., P.O. Box 46, Stratham, NH 03885. When writing, residents should be sure to include name, physical address, phone number, the color of the house and acreage or road frontage. For more information on spray dates, location, materials used, precautions or other concerns, call 603-734-4144 or email help@ DOVER — Kindergarten registration for the 2025-2026 school year opened on March 10. The Dover Schools has transitioned to a new online student registration system,, therefore all demographic, emergency and some medication information will be updated electronically. However, some paper forms and documents will still be needed. The system is a secure and green process, which allows the district to quickly obtain up to date information on your child. The online system will be used for all new and returning student registrations for student demographic and emergency information and allow you to update that information prior to the start of the new school year. For more information and registration instructions, visit PORTSMOUTH — Kindergarten registration for the 2025-2026 school year is now open. Your child must turn five by Sept. 30. To help with determining class size and staffing needs, parents/guardians are asked to register their rising kindergarten student no later than Friday, April 11. For more information visit DOVER — In honor of Earth Day, Don't Trash Dover in partnership with the City of Dover will host the 2nd Annual "Power of an Hour" event, a community-wide volunteer litter collection initiative on Saturday, April 26, from 9:30-10:30 a.m. All six Dover wards will host cleanup sites: Ward 1: Frances G. Hopkins Elementary School (78 Horne Street) Ward 2: Dover Ice Arena (110 Portland Avenue) Ward 3: Woodman Park Elementary School (11 Towle Avenue) Ward 4: Garrison School (50 Garrison Road) Ward 5: Dover Middle School (16 Daley Drive) Ward 6: Hellenic Center (219 Long Hill Road) Participants should arrive at their ward location by 9:15 a.m. wearing safety vests or bright clothing, gloves, and appropriate walking shoes. Volunteers are encouraged to bring their own litter collection tools or wagons if available. Upon arrival, first-time participants will complete a waiver form. Volunteers will receive bags and directions from site leaders, then spend one hour collecting litter throughout their ward. Children under 12 years must be accompanied by an adult. For more information, contact dontrashdover@ or visit Don't Trash Dover on Facebook. DOVER – The city Recreation Department, along with the Dover Recreation Advisory Board, held its 27th annual Volunteer, Sponsor of the Year, and Heyliger Awards Banquet Tuesday, March 25, hosted by the Loyal Order of Moose Lodge No. 443. This was the first ceremony since the COVID-19 pandemic. The Heyliger Awards are given in memory of late past Dover Recreation Director Don Heyliger, who served the community with great commitment and dedication for 10 years and who died in 1988. These recipients possess high quality traits that Mr. Heyliger himself portrayed. These include: treating all participants with the same respect and support regardless of their skill level, allowing all children to participate in every event, using praise to motivate, never belittle or embarrass anyone, helping a child develop confidence and self-respect, being compassionate and forgiving in relationships, looking out for the less fortunate, disadvantaged and those who may need more personal and emotional support, and be fun to be with. This year's winners of the 2024 Don Heyliger Awards include: Paul Barnes, Garrison City Football Club, David Devoy, Dover Football League; Cam Paquette & Camden Barrett, Dover Youth Basketball; Josh Hersey, Dover Youth Hockey; Jamie Stevens, Dover Youth Softball; Tim Pine, Dover Baseball; The Merrill Family, Cocheco Lacrosse; and, Melissa Chandler, Dover Little Green Cheerleading. The 2024 Volunteer of the Year Award was announced by Heather Twombly, Chair of the Recreation Advisory Board, and went to Paul Barnes. The Recreation Advisory Board also recognized Mourgenos Lawn Care and Wade Landscaping as the 2024 Sponsors of the Year. ROCHESTER — Hope on Haven Hill's annual Hope Springs Eternal gala brought together community leaders, advocates, and supporters to celebrate the organization's vital work in providing comprehensive perinatal recovery services. With an outpouring of generosity from our attendees, the event raised an $488,701. An additional charitable gaming contribution helped bring our total fundraising efforts to over $500,000 — unlocking a full matching gift from the Nanda Family Charitable Fund and bringing the total impact to $1 million for mothers and families in recovery. The gala honored three exceptional individuals for their unwavering commitment to the health and well-being of mothers and families in New Hampshire: Tom Raffio, for his dedication to community wellness and advocacy. Jen Chinburg, for her leadership and unwavering support of women's empowerment. Valerie Sununu, for her tireless efforts in championing family-centered support services. Funds raised will directly support Hope on Haven Hill's programs, including residential treatment, outpatient care, and wraparound services for pregnant and parenting women in recovery. The overwhelming success of the evening reaffirms the power of community-driven support in ensuring that every mother and child has the opportunity to thrive. Information: This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Portsmouth mosquito monitoring, Dover awards: Community news update
Euronews
29-03-2025
- Health
- Euronews
Scientists discover drug that could make human blood deadly to mosquitos in fight against malaria
ADVERTISEMENT Researchers have discovered that a medication typically prescribed for rare diseases could make human blood deadly for mosquitoes, offering a potential lead to curb diseases such as malaria . They experimented with a drug called nitisinone, which is usually prescribed to individuals with rare inherited diseases that typically prevent them from being able to fully break down certain amino acids. The medication works by blocking an enzyme to prevent the build-up of harmful disease byproducts in the human body. Related Scientists in Argentina use nuclear energy to reduce disease-carrying mosquitoes When mosquitoes drink blood that contains nitisinone, the drug also blocks the enzyme in their bodies, stopping them from properly digesting the blood, leading them to quickly die, according to their findings published in the journal Science Translational Medicine. "One way to stop the spread of diseases transmitted by insects is to make the blood of animals and humans toxic to these blood-feeding insects ," Lee R Haines, associate research professor at the University of Notre Dame in the US and co-lead author of the study, said in a statement. "Our findings suggest that using nitisinone could be a promising new complementary tool for controlling insect-borne diseases like malaria". Personal protective measures include wearing covering clothes, the use of mosquito repellent and the use of bed nets or window and door screens. Related Scientists have developed a super repellent that can stop 99% of mosquitos from biting your skin A growing need for mosquito control solutions Another method is the use of ivermectin, used to kill parasites. However, its repeated use can lead to drug-resistance. It can also be toxic for the environment. "Nitisinone performance was fantastic," said Álvaro Acosta Serrano, professor of biological sciences at Notre Dame and co-corresponding author of the study. "It has a much longer half-life in human blood than ivermectin, which means its mosquitocidal activity remains circulating in the human body for much longer. This is critical when applied in the field for safety and economical reasons," he added. Nitisinone was able to kill mosquitoes across all age groups, including older mosquitoes that are most likely to transmit malaria. It was also capable of eliminating insecticide-resistant mosquitoes. Related Malaria cases surged to 263 million last year amid stalled progress to stop mosquito-borne illness "In the future, it could be advantageous to alternate both nitisinone and ivermectin for mosquito control," Haines said. "For example, nitisinone could be employed in areas where ivermectin resistance persists or where ivermectin is already heavily used for livestock and humans". Mosquito-borne diseases include malaria, dengue, West Nile virus, chikungunya and yellow fever, according to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC). They represent an emerging threat to human health in Europe with climate change creating more favourable conditions for invasive mosquito species despite malaria being eradicated from the continent for several decades.
