April 25th through May 1st was declared as “West Nile Virus and Mosquito and Vector Control Awareness Week“by your City Council. This action was taken by Proclamation at the 18 April 2005 City Council meeting.
The Proclamation states that in 2004 West Nile Virus killed 27 people in California and sickened nearly 800 individuals. Without a doubt, the West Nile Virus can be a serious threat to health in some humans. The West Nile virus is carried and spread by mosquitoes.
While most people infected with this virus don’t get sick, some people will show symptoms, including fever, rash and headache. In certain human cases, meningitis, encephalitis and death result from this virus. If you need more information on the West Nile Virus, I suggest you contact the San Mateo County Mosquito Abatement District at (650) 344-8592 or on the Internet at www.smcmad.org.
The exceptionally wet winter and spring seem to have produced a bumper crop of mosquitoes this year. Those of you who enjoy working in your yard in the early evening may have been driven indoors by this plethora of mosquitoes. I have asked the City Manager to inform the County of what I consider to be an unusually large mosquito population here in Foster City.
You can help by checking your yard and area for standing rainwater that has collected in open containers or even just pooled on the ground. For the most part, such containers are stored in side yards where they are not easily noticed – except by breeding mosquitoes who enjoy these quiet and private hatcheries.
If you have a fish pond or other decorative water feature, please ensure the pond is stocked with Mosquitofish and the decorative water feature is regularly turned on to keep the water moving. Breeding mosquitoes need stagnant water.
Mtownsend@fostercity.org
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