Southern New Hampshire residents take heed; confirmed cases of WNV have already begun to show up in states closeby

As of yet, Southern New Hampshire has not  had a confirmed case of West Nile Virus this season. Phew! Even though when it comes to West Nile Virus, no news is good news; our neighboring states have already begun to see positive test results for WNV in mosquitoes. The states nearest to the granite state that have tested positive are Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Vermont.  With this much activity around us, now is not the time to get lazy about staying on top of your mosquito control practices.

New Hampshire began testing mosquitoes for West Nile in the beginning of July. The reason for this is because it usually takes a few extra weeks for New Hampshire to heat up and become an “ideal” mosquito habitat – ideal for mosquitoes that is! The warmer weather mixed with our amount of abundant rainfall make the conditions perfect for mosquito infestations. According to an article published last week by NHPR New Hampshire News, Vector Borne Disease Surveillance Coordinator Whitney Howe states “We really can’t predict the season, both in terms of mosquito populations and activity and the potential risk for disease transmission, because there are so many environmental factors involved, But certainly mosquitoes do breed most proficiently in warm, wet environments.  So right now is prime mosquito season.”

Though it is good news that NH has not had a confirmation of WNV, it is crucial to not allow the lack of disease thus far give us a false sense of security. In looking back, New Hampshire did not confirm its first human case of West Nile Virus last season until mid-August, when a resident of Manchester became infected with the disease. Up until then, there had been no confirmed human cases of WNV in New Hampshire since 2010. West Nile Virus first appeared in the NH in 2000. Since then, four other humans have contracted the mosquito-borne virus. During the 2012 mosquito season other New Hampshire communities had confirmed cases of mosquitoes testing positive for West Nile without confirmed human cases, which were Nashua, Salem, Seabrook, North Hampton and Brentwood. These positive test results indicated that the potential for infection was present, and the Granite State was fortunate in not having more residents to become infected.

During this most crucial time of the season, when the potential to contract a mosquito-borne illness is at its peak, it’s important for NH residents to reduce the risk of coming into contact with a mosquito altogether. The truth is you never know which mosquitoes could be carrying West Nile, and which are not. The best prevention against all mosquito related illnesses is to exercise efficient mosquito control and prevention practices. Mosquito Squad of Southern New Hampshire can eliminate and prevent the resurgence of mosquitoes on your property all season long with our barrier treatment program. Our safe and effective barrier treatment will eliminate what mosquitoes are present and prevent resurgence for 21 days. Getting started is easy and worry free. Our rotation program ensures mosquito control all summer long and you won’t have to play guessing games about mosquitoes any longer!