Mid-Missouri begins mosquito spraying for summer
The Columbia/Boone County Health Department will begin spraying for mosquitoes on various city trails Thursday night and into Friday morning.
Residents who live on the trails may see a small, red Chevy truck driving on the trails. That is the vehicle the city uses for spraying. It’ll be out Friday mornings through September.
The city says the spraying is most effective in overnight and early morning hours because the temperatures are lower and the mosquitoes are more active. The health department has not said which trails they will spray or when.
The spray will be even more important this summer as the Zika virus continues to spread. Earlier this week, a baby in New Jersey was born with microcephaly. Microcephaly is acondition in which a baby’s head is significantly smaller than expected, often due to abnormal brain development. Zika virus is believed to cause microcephaly.
The West Nile virus is also still popular in mosquitoes. Most West Nile cases are mild and people may not show any symptoms, but some cases are more severe. Some people can experience fever, rashes, and achy muscles. Since 1999, more than 30,000 people in the United State have been reported with West Nile virus. Of those, almost 13,000 became seriously ill and more than 1,200 died from the virus.
The World Health Organization recommends getting rid of any standing water in or around your yard. Mosquitos use the standing water to lay eggs. It only takes five days for the eggs to hatch.
The CDC also recommends people use mosquito repellent to help protect themselves from bites.
