Health officials have discovered that it is more important even than killing mosquitoes to educated the public in preventing the West Nile Virus among the population.

Officials Hope Education Can Help Prevent Incidence

Sioux Falls S.D.- Health officials have discovered that it is more important even than killing mosquitoes to educated the public in preventing the West Nile Virus among the population.

South Dakota has the nations highest infection risk of anywhere in the United States, and it is entering the 7th year of the West Nile Virus infection.

The disease West Nile Virus is spread from mosquitoes to infected birds and then sometimes to humans. Not all of the mosquitoes carry the virus, but when it does the infection itself can be both painful and dehabilitating.

South Dakota had 208 infections of the West Nile Virus last year, and 6 deaths. The virus appears to be spread mostly by mosquitoes that happen later in the summer, the ones that can seemingly handle dried out conditions.

Most of the time infections nationwide and in South Dakota peak in the late summer, normally in the month of August. Other states that struggle with the disease include Mississippi, Arizona, Tennessee as well as other midwestern states.

South Dakota’s per resident infection rate is the highest in the nation, and they have the highest rate of complications also, followed closely by Wyoming, Nebraska and North Dakota.