Weekend Rain Could Increase Risk of West Nile Virus
By: Brendaliss Gonzalez
Updated: August 17, 2012
The clouds seem to tease rain- which would normally be cause for excitement.
However residents like Sarah Watts are concerned about the mosquitoes that may come with it.
"The kids play outside a lot and I don't really feel comfortable with them being outside with all the mosquitoes," she said.
Especially now that its been confirmed that there are mosquitoes carrying the West Nile Virus in Abilene's north side.
Watts visits her mom every day at her north Abilene home which is often a spot with lots of flooding.
"It gets pretty deep, up to our ankles sometimes," said the Abilene resident.
Doctor Quiang Xu has studied mosquitos for years and confirms theres reason to worry.
"Usually after rain and after one week or two weeks you will see more and more adult mosquitoes," he said.
Flooding and ponding is the perfect breeding spot for mosquitoes.
"The mosquito will lay their eggs over there and eggs will hatch to larvae and grow inside of those areas," said the the associate professor of Biology at ACU.
Although newborn mosquito don't initially carry the virus,the more of them- higher the chance of one carrying the virus, but, there is a way to prevent them from invading your territory.
"They need to keep their swimming pools clean if in their yard there is kind of low ground so water stands over there, they need to get rid of the standing water," said Xu.
Watts has already seen her fair share of the blood sucking critters.
That's why she's making sure to be prepared to enjoy the rain without the pleasure of their company.
"The kids will be sprayed with bug spray and kept inside as much as they can," she said.
This fall there will actually be a class at ACU dedicated to finding new ways of attacking the disease.
They'll be collecting and studying mosquitoes carrying the virus.
They're hoping to find solutions so that this no longer has to be such a health hazard.
City officials say they have been spraying certain areas with insecticides for some time now.
No confirmed human cases of the virus have been reported in Abilene.
However residents like Sarah Watts are concerned about the mosquitoes that may come with it.
"The kids play outside a lot and I don't really feel comfortable with them being outside with all the mosquitoes," she said.
Especially now that its been confirmed that there are mosquitoes carrying the West Nile Virus in Abilene's north side.
Watts visits her mom every day at her north Abilene home which is often a spot with lots of flooding.
"It gets pretty deep, up to our ankles sometimes," said the Abilene resident.
Doctor Quiang Xu has studied mosquitos for years and confirms theres reason to worry.
"Usually after rain and after one week or two weeks you will see more and more adult mosquitoes," he said.
Flooding and ponding is the perfect breeding spot for mosquitoes.
"The mosquito will lay their eggs over there and eggs will hatch to larvae and grow inside of those areas," said the the associate professor of Biology at ACU.
Although newborn mosquito don't initially carry the virus,the more of them- higher the chance of one carrying the virus, but, there is a way to prevent them from invading your territory.
"They need to keep their swimming pools clean if in their yard there is kind of low ground so water stands over there, they need to get rid of the standing water," said Xu.
Watts has already seen her fair share of the blood sucking critters.
That's why she's making sure to be prepared to enjoy the rain without the pleasure of their company.
"The kids will be sprayed with bug spray and kept inside as much as they can," she said.
This fall there will actually be a class at ACU dedicated to finding new ways of attacking the disease.
They'll be collecting and studying mosquitoes carrying the virus.
They're hoping to find solutions so that this no longer has to be such a health hazard.
City officials say they have been spraying certain areas with insecticides for some time now.
No confirmed human cases of the virus have been reported in Abilene.
