KING COUNTY, WASHINGTON - Today, King County Executive Ron Sims and Dr. Alonzo Plough, Director of Public Health - Seattle & King County, announced a new plan to manage West Nile virus, which is expected to be found in King County this year.
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| King County Executive Ron Sims and Public Health Director Dr. Alonzo Plough |
The plan consists of three parts - education, surveillance and control.
"Our plan calls for a balanced approach that emphasizes education and surveillance over control," said Ron Sims, King County Executive. "With its focus on limiting the use of larvicides, it protects both people and the environment." When larvicides are absolutely necessary, the plan calls for using the least toxic, most targeted substances available.
Plan details:
Education: Building on efforts over the winter to educate residents about the ways to remove artificial mosquito breeding habitat by disposing of containers where mosquitoes like to breed, Public Health - Seattle & King County is also recommending wearing appropriate clothing when mosquitoes are biting and the judicious use of insect repellent. "This is a serious health protection concern but not something we expect to cause significant human disease in our region," said Dr. Alonzo Plough, Director of Public Health - Seattle & King County. "Our collective prevention efforts will help to mitigate problems."
Surveillance: The surveillance portion of the plan calls for tracking bird deaths, mosquito problem areas, and larvae habitat throughout King County. Crow deaths are often a sign that West Nile virus has arrived in an area, which is why a percentage of the dead crows reported to Public Health will be tested for West Nile virus. Dead birds reported but not tested will be used for tracking purposes.
Control: In collaboration with other agencies and jurisdictions, Public Health will be collecting information on mosquito breeding habitats and areas of the county with mosquito problems. This information will be used to help target control efforts. Public property owners, such as King County, will assess their properties for possible breeding habitat. If control efforts such as habitat modification are not effective, a natural bacterium such as Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) may be applied. Bt is not toxic to fish, birds, and most insects other than aquatic flies. It is not sprayed onto water, but is applied in the form of pellets or briquettes.
What residents can do:
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Call Public Health if they find a dead crow. 206-205-4394. |
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Reduce habitat and prepare the home:
Removing sources of standing water on one's property and around the home reduces mosquito breeding habitat. Recommendations include:
- Tipping out barrels, buckets and wheelbarrows
- Tipping out containers such as toys, cans or plant saucers
- Emptying children's wading pools when not in use
- Changing water in birdbaths and animal troughs at least once a week
- Getting rid of used tires
- Cleaning garden ponds
- Recycling old bottles, buckets and cans
- Cleaning leaf-clogged gutters
- Emptying water from flower pot dishes
- Dumping water off of tarps and plastic sheeting
- Repairing leaky outdoor faucets
- Covering rain barrels with mosquito screens
- Repair ripped windows and door screens and make sure they fit tight
- Consider adding a screen door to doors that often are left open
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Take personal protection: When mosquitoes are out - often at dawn and dusk:
- Wear long sleeve shirts and long pants. Hats are also useful.
- Consider using an insect repellent. Repellents containing the chemical N,N-diethyl-meta-toluamide (DEET) are known to be very effective. Children under the age of two should not use insect repellents containing DEET. It is important to read the label and follow the instructions on the label carefully.
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West Nile virus is a mosquito-borne virus that is spread to humans through the bite of an infected mosquito. A mosquito becomes infected by biting an infected animal that carries the virus. West Nile virus is not spread by person-to-person contact, nor is it transmitted from birds or other animals to people. The virus was found in a crow in Snohomish last year and is expected to be confirmed in King County in 2003. Mosquito season, when West Nile virus is of most concern, runs from spring through late fall.
More information:
