All This Rain Leads to a Bug Blitz

The rain is gone, so here come the mosquitoes.

Bexar County Metro Health Director Dr. Colleen Bridger says 14 inches of rain in just the first half of September means standing water, and that, and the humid conditions that sunny, warmer weather bring, is paradise for skeeters.

And the problem with that is the potential spread of mosquito borne conditions like Zike and West Nile.

She says the bug police are fighting the spread of the mosquitoes.

"Using the appropriate amount of insecticide at the right place at the right time," is the key, she said.

"We have also cross trained another dozen of our sanitarians, so when we do get this kind of rain, we can have an 'all hands on deck' approach."

She says so far there have been no cases of West Nile or Zika in Bexar County, but they have been spotted in the Rio Grande Valley, and are common south of the border.

Homeowners are urged to use bug spray liberally, wear long sleeves and long pants when outside, especially during the dusk, when mosquitoes are the most active, and empty standing water where the rains have left it, from everything from bird baths to swings to old tires and flower pots.

IMAGE; GETTY


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