MITCHELL, SD (Mitchell Now) — Last Thursday, Mayor Jordan Hanson asked Mitchell residents on social media to weigh in on how bad the bugs are. After swarms of replies confirming that mosquitoes are feasting right now, Mitchell Parks and Recreation announced on Facebook that pest control is coming.
The plan is to do a combination of fogging and spraying city-wide on the 25th at sunset. The department promised more details are coming the day of in a city alert bulletin the day of.
South Dakota is one of the most active areas in the country for West Nile Virus infections, a disease carried primarily by mosquitoes. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Infection, Davison County has recorded 97 cases since 1999. About a quarter of those are the most serious kind, which involves an infection of the nervous system. The neurological version of the disease can potentially be deadly for those affected.