Posted: Wednesday, June 25, 2014 11:04 am
Joe and Patty Harmon set up a mosquito net in their backyard to prevent the annoying creatures from interfering with daily outdoor activities. The Harmons love the outdoors too much to give it up, so now they are prepared.
“This time we are determined to have it – to be a mosquito refuge,” Patty Harmon said. With mosquitoes coming out more often than not, Kansans should be prepared for the worst, as there are now two mosquito-borne diseases to look out for – West Nile virus and chikungunya.
“It’s hard to tell if we have more (mosquitoes) than we ever had,” said Julia Hulsey, director of the Reno County Health Department.
Chikungunya is a new mosquito-borne virus that has spread quickly in the Caribbean since December. Chikungunya symptoms include fever, muscle and joint pain, rash and headaches, which appear within a few days to a week after a person is bitten and can last for about a week.
There have been no confirmed cases in Kansas, and all reported cases in the United States have been from travelers visiting or returning to the U.S. from affected areas, according to Aimee Rosenow, a spokeswoman for the Kansas Department of Health and Environment.
Advance Pest Control in Hutchinson said the phone calls are just coming in for mosquitoes, and they anticipate more calls this year than last, based on the rate of calls in the past week. They have a lot of repeat customers year-to-year, said Jeff Wells, mosquito technician.
Patty Harmon said she always wears bug spray. As Harmon’s grandson, Trent Biehler, who was just visiting from Olathe, emptied rainwater that was collecting from the top of the tent, Harmon said the original use for the canopy was for shade, but its newfound use would be for mosquitoes.
“I just started noticing them,” Harmon said. “We’ve set (the canopy) up so we can enjoy – have dinner, a glass of wine and good conversation.”
While visiting his grandparents, Biehler plays basketball with some neighborhood teens around 8:30 p.m., “which probably isn’t the best idea,” he said. He explained they usually run out of bug spray by the end of the night.
“Mosquitoes aren’t really a big deal for me,” Biehler said. “We just keep moving.”
There are no reported cases of West Nile virus in Kansas yet, according to Rosenow. Last year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 91 cases of West Nile virus were reported in Kansas, resulting in seven deaths.
Patty Harmon has to contend with mosquitoes to get her gardening work done, so she empties standing water and puts on bug spray when she is outside, but she doesn’t seem to mind the simple prevention techniques.
“We have to protect ourselves,” she said. “And I enjoy the gardening so much that it’s worth it.”
The city of Hutchinson will not be spraying, or fogging, this year. The city stopped spraying in 2009 after it was determined to be ineffective because the chemical spray had to come into immediate contact with the mosquito larvae, The News reported last year.
Surrounding areas, including Buhler, Haven and Sterling, will be spraying.
“Be aware. That’s our biggest role right now,” said Nick Baldetti, assistant director of the Reno County Health Department.
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“This time we are determined to have it – to be a mosquito refuge,” Patty Harmon said. With mosquitoes coming out more often than not, Kansans should be prepared for the worst, as there are now two mosquito-borne diseases to look out for – West Nile virus and chikungunya.
“It’s hard to tell if we have more (mosquitoes) than we ever had,” said Julia Hulsey, director of the Reno County Health Department.
Chikungunya is a new mosquito-borne virus that has spread quickly in the Caribbean since December. Chikungunya symptoms include fever, muscle and joint pain, rash and headaches, which appear within a few days to a week after a person is bitten and can last for about a week.
There have been no confirmed cases in Kansas, and all reported cases in the United States have been from travelers visiting or returning to the U.S. from affected areas, according to Aimee Rosenow, a spokeswoman for the Kansas Department of Health and Environment.
Advance Pest Control in Hutchinson said the phone calls are just coming in for mosquitoes, and they anticipate more calls this year than last, based on the rate of calls in the past week. They have a lot of repeat customers year-to-year, said Jeff Wells, mosquito technician.
Patty Harmon said she always wears bug spray. As Harmon’s grandson, Trent Biehler, who was just visiting from Olathe, emptied rainwater that was collecting from the top of the tent, Harmon said the original use for the canopy was for shade, but its newfound use would be for mosquitoes.
“I just started noticing them,” Harmon said. “We’ve set (the canopy) up so we can enjoy – have dinner, a glass of wine and good conversation.”
While visiting his grandparents, Biehler plays basketball with some neighborhood teens around 8:30 p.m., “which probably isn’t the best idea,” he said. He explained they usually run out of bug spray by the end of the night.
“Mosquitoes aren’t really a big deal for me,” Biehler said. “We just keep moving.”
There are no reported cases of West Nile virus in Kansas yet, according to Rosenow. Last year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 91 cases of West Nile virus were reported in Kansas, resulting in seven deaths.
Patty Harmon has to contend with mosquitoes to get her gardening work done, so she empties standing water and puts on bug spray when she is outside, but she doesn’t seem to mind the simple prevention techniques.
“We have to protect ourselves,” she said. “And I enjoy the gardening so much that it’s worth it.”
The city of Hutchinson will not be spraying, or fogging, this year. The city stopped spraying in 2009 after it was determined to be ineffective because the chemical spray had to come into immediate contact with the mosquito larvae, The News reported last year.
Surrounding areas, including Buhler, Haven and Sterling, will be spraying.
“Be aware. That’s our biggest role right now,” said Nick Baldetti, assistant director of the Reno County Health Department.
Full Story
