San Benito County will receive more than $185,000 from the state
to reduce local mosquito populations in an attempt to prevent the
spread of West Nile Virus, a potentially deadly disease that can be
transmitted to people and animals.
The grant is part of a $12 million state program to fund county
mosquito abatement efforts.
Hollister – San Benito County will receive more than $185,000 from the state to reduce local mosquito populations in an attempt to prevent the spread of West Nile Virus, a potentially deadly disease that can be transmitted to people and animals.
The grant is part of a $12 million state program to fund county mosquito abatement efforts.
“This gives you a shot in the arm to get a program going,” said Agricultural Commissioner Paul Matulich.
A dozen dead birds from San Benito County were recently sent to the state department of health services to be tested for West Nile, but so far none has tested positive, according to Public Health Director Elizabeth Falade. An infected bird was found near Aromas in Monterey County, she added.
Last year, five infected birds were found in the county. This year’s mosquito season started in May and could stretch through November.
The state grant money will allow the county to hire two temporary employees to look for mosquito larvae. A portion of the money will be used to buy larvacide and the equipment needed to apply it. Also, the money will also go toward two new trucks to be used by the new employees and an all-terrain vehicle.
“That’s for running around the boggy spots, looking for larvae,” Matulich said.
Though the grant will give the San Benito County Agriculture Commission, the county agency tasked with mosquito abatement, a foundation upon which to build a more effective mosquito abatement program. The county has a lot to learn about how to deal with the pesky insects, according to Matulich.
“We’re still a babe in the woods,” he said, adding that the North Salinas Valley Mosquito Abatement District is assisting San Benito County in developing its program.
In addition to the state grant, the board of supervisors has allocated $80,000 for mosquito abatement in its proposed 2005-2006 budget. That money will probably be used to pay county employees for abatement services and to continue the county’s community education efforts, according to Supervisor Anthony Botelho.
“Since we’re picking up this grant, and since it specifies that we can only use it for preventive materials, we’ll be able to use that $80,000 for employee compensation and outreach,’ he said.
The public health department has been sending out flyers in an attempt to educate the public on how to subdue the mosquito population.
Earlier this month, the Public Works Department completed a program through which larvacide pellets were dropped in the storm drains of 31 county service areas.
First discovered in the United States in New York in 1999, West Nile Virus has quickly spread to 44 states and was detected in California in 2002. The mosquito-borne disease can infect both humans and animals, such as birds and horses. About 80 percent of people infected with the virus won’t have any symptoms. Severe symptoms occur in about one in 150 people and can include convulsions, coma, vision loss and paralysis. Milder symptoms in up to 20 percent of infected humans can include fever, headache, nausea and vomiting, according to the state’s West Nile Virus Web site.
Last year San Benito County got away with only a few dead birds and no human infections. But officials at the Mosquito and Vector Control Association of California have predicted the virus will be centered in Northern California and the Central Valley this year.
Last week, A Kings County man became the first Californian to die of West Nile Virus. The elderly man, who was not identified, was the second fatality of the virus in the United States so far this year. He had other serious health problems, but the mosquito-borne illness “tipped the balance” for him, Kings County health officer Michael MacLean said.
This year, nine cases of West Nile have been diagnosed in Tulare County. Kings County has had two diagnosed cases of the disease. Fresno, Kern and Merced counties have each reported one human infection.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Luke Roney covers politics and the environment for the Free Lance. Reach him at 831-637-5566 ext. 335 or at
lr****@fr***********.com
