Home > Snellville.Talk > Archives > 2007 > August > 16 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USWorried about those pesky mosquitoes?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Snellville Parks and Recreation Director Cyndee Bonacci said she’s fielded hundreds of calls and emails since a report last week that mosquitoes infected with the West Nile virus were found in the city’s Briscoe Park.
That’s not surprising. Snellville’s finding was the first this season in Gwinnett County and among the first in the state.
It’s normal to wonder if you should put away your picnic basket and resort to the malls for your daily walks.
Bonacci says the calls are a good thing. They let her get the facts out about the virus, which mostly infects birds and mosquitoes but can be transmitted to humans.
So, how concerned should we be?
For most of us, health and city officials say: not overly.
The West Nile virus is a danger mostly to very young children, the elderly and those whose health or immune system isn’t what it should be. For the rest of us, we may never know if we have been bitten by an infected mosquito. And if we do, it usually feels like a mild flu for which we don’t need treatment. Fewer than 1 percent of those infected become seriously ill.
If you are worried, however, the advice is what you have heard before - eliminate standing water around your home, stay inside at dusk and dawn, wear effective insect repellent and/or cover up with clothing. In other words, try not to be bitten.
As for avoiding the park, well, there may be as many infected mosquitoes in my back yard — or yours — as there are in Briscoe Park.
Snellville volunteered Briscoe to be a testing site. Unlike most back yards and private property, the park has been treated this season to kill mosquito larvae. The presence of mosquitoes there is more an indicator that they are in the Snellville area than a warning about the park itself.
Tests have found the West Nile virus in Snellville in 2003, 2004, 2005 and this year, according to officials in city government and the county health department.
But Snellville is not alone. There are areas near Lawrenceville and in the northern part of the county that have tested positive more frequently than the Snellville site, officials said. It just hasn’t happened this season yet.
A few years ago, Snellville sent out trucks to spray insecticide along streets. Residents received notes in advance, telling us to bring pets inside before the spraying.
Such action may be taken when the mosquito population is extremely high or if West Nile continues to show up at test sites, said Bonacci and Vernon Goins of the Gwinnett Heath Department.
But spraying only works when the mist actually touches the adult mosquitoes, Bonacci said.
“It is considered a last resort,” Goins said. It is more effective to eliminate standing water or to treat areas to kill the larvae, he said.
Since Snellville’s positive report, the park has been treated again and additional tests have been made there, as well as elsewhere in Gwinnett, Those results have not come back yet, Goins said Wednesday, but he expects them soon. Because he hasn’t received early notice, he is optimistic they will be negative.
Is West Nile something you are concerned about? How do you respond to news about this and other health issues? Does the public overreact?
Permalink | Comments (14) | Post your comment | Categories: Susan Gast
Comments
By SquitoHater
August 15, 2007 6:25 PM | Link to this
The most bothersome issue in the Cobb county area is all the subdivisions that have created manmade lakes by impounding a stream, but neither the county nor the HOA’s will take on the responsibility of treating these “lakes” to prevent the massive infestation of mosquitoes. There are times when the mosquitoes are so bad in the area behind my house, that if one is outside longer than 15 minutes without spraying mosquito repellent or having long pants on, one will be bitten multiple times. There should be a solution that homeowners could turn to without having to run a mosquito trap all the time to prevent from being “eaten up”.
By publius
August 15, 2007 11:30 PM | Link to this
In Snellville, you are at more risk from thugs than mosquitos.
By Katie
August 16, 2007 5:41 AM | Link to this
Nope, not worried a bit.
By Pugslie
August 16, 2007 8:20 AM | Link to this
It has happened 4 years in a row and why is this all of a sudden news? How many people died last year in the U.S.? I don’t have any idea how many died, but I would bet maybe a handful of elderly-that probably would have died from the common cold. Health Department should probably concentrate on bigger issues. Although, the story makes great news (probably sold some extra papers that day), but really means nothing.
By ConservativeDem
August 16, 2007 8:44 AM | Link to this
Well, did you forget the millions of people that have died from mesquitos. Since that charming lady pubished how terrible DDT is to our birds and other wildlife, DDT has been banned. Her findings were wrong and since has been proven her scientific findings were off base. Mesquitos kill thousands each year in third world countries and some in our country. Whacko animal rights perverts and environmentalist have gotten their way. Now we save a few birds but killed millions of people. You do not have a problem with that? Animals are more important than human beings or on the same spiritual level!! You rape a child and get 90 days but slam a pit bull into the ground or watch dogs fight and you can lose a career and get 3yrs in jail. I guess I made a wrong turn at Albuquerque. Use DDT and save human lives!!
By ChrisD3
August 16, 2007 9:31 AM | Link to this
We need to spend more cleaning up illegal aliens instead of worrying about mosquitos.
By HA
August 16, 2007 9:55 AM | Link to this
Good points……
We need to spend more cleaning up illegal aliens instead of worrying about mosquitos
You rape a child and get 90 days but slam a pit bull into the ground or watch dogs fight and you can lose a career and get 3yrs in jail.
Something is seriously wrong with this!!!!!!!!!
By Jim Swilley
August 16, 2007 11:21 AM | Link to this
Two words: ‘skeeter spray.
By Alan
August 16, 2007 5:18 PM | Link to this
SquitoHater, I want to buy your house. If you can last 15 minutes before multiple bites, you are doing a lot better than I am in Tucker and I’m nowhere near a lake. Walk onto my back porch and the swarms get you literally within minutes. You’ll have 5 bites in 2 minutes if you sit still. Fact of life in the south, even though we try to eliminate the standing water.
By Steeeeeev
August 17, 2007 4:21 PM | Link to this
I believe it’s gotten worse in the last ten years with the arrival and spread of the Asian Tiger mosquito… they don’t give me such big bites as the domestics, but they are numerous, aggressive and relentless. I find the best defense is a large fan outdoors… they need still air to land on me and bite, and don’t have as much success in a breeze. The fan breeze also disperses my breath, which I believe is how they find me. : ) S
By offtopic Jimmy
August 19, 2007 1:51 AM | Link to this
Good idea with the fan Steeeeeeeeeeeeev; Alan, Tucker sucks. You should have figured the mosquitos would get you. HA, good points. Don’t forget you also get longer sentences for drug violations than you would for committing the crimes you are supposedly going to commit because you are on the drugs. But hey, politicians are like macho losers in an auction trying to outbid each other in crime-fighting toughness! Oh yeah, well I hate black people…I mean crime! even more! I’ll give them TWENTY years for a gram of crack! Top that!
By Ann Welton
August 21, 2007 2:31 PM | Link to this
People are definitly more important than animals. Don’t get me wrong. I have a toy poodle who is at the vet right now recovering (I hope) from a dental procedure. Really bad tarter build up seeping into her system causing infection, anemia, etc. I am doing my best to restore her. I love her; but if it was a question of her life or that of a loved one, I would definite choose the human connection! As to mosquitos, they are frightening and I think every means should be used to eliminate them, even if it does kill birds. What is our problem and what happened to the survial of the fittest?
By Kaye
August 22, 2007 1:00 PM | Link to this
To off topic Jimmy, What does “hating black people….crime” have to do with mosquitoes? There are plenty of hate websites and chat rooms out there. Spew you venom there.
By Da Da DA
August 30, 2007 8:23 AM | Link to this
I think he was being sarcastic, Kaye.