Summit County Health Department Director Phil Bondurant says mosquito-borne illnesses remain a global public health concern. In Utah, West Nile virus is the mosquito-borne disease residents are most likely to encounter.
“You think about all those nasty diseases, those zoonotic diseases and tropical diseases and you think about areas where mosquito control and abatement, like we're lucky to have here in Summit County, does not exist in other areas of the world,” Bondurant said on KPCW’s “Local News Hour” June 8. “Some of those diseases could be a death sentence.”
While mosquitoes are an important part of the ecosystem as a food source for bats and birds, Bondurant says residents should take precautions to avoid being bitten.
“Remove standing water where possible,” he said. “Dawn and dusk are the prime biting times. West Nile virus is 100% preventable. If you don't get bit, you'll never get a mosquito-borne disease. So, long sleeve clothing during those prime biting times, and if you're not wanting to wear long sleeve clothes, because it's hot, there are some natural remedies that help prevent mosquito bites. And then you, if you're comfortable with it, you can use DEET and other artificial insect repellents to keep yourself safe, you and your loved ones.”
Even in what’s expected to be a dry summer, Bondurant says mosquitoes need only small amounts of water to breed. While dry conditions may reduce overall numbers, mosquitoes he says can still concentrate in areas where suitable habitat exists.
Common sources of standing water include birdbaths and pet bowls, buckets, flowerpot saucers and wheelbarrows, or any container that holds water for several days.
Locally, the Summit Mosquito Abatement District monitors mosquito populations, surveys standing water, and applies insecticides and biological treatments to kill larvae before they mature into biting adults.
