West Nile Virus Prevention and Control
If there’s a way to prevent a viral infection that causes side effects that are at best uncomfortable and at worst life-threatening, would you do your part? West Nile Virus (WNV) is a very active illness in the state of South Dakota.
2020 WNV Grants
Hello South Dakota Community and Tribal Leaders:
With mosquito season just around the corner, the Department of Health is pleased to once again announce the availability of West Nile Virus prevention grants. $500,000 is available in 2020 to assist cities, counties and tribes with their mosquito control efforts. Grant awards will range from approximately $500 to $20,000 depending upon the size of the population served and their historical number of human WNV cases. Since 2002, the department has provided over 7.5 million dollars in support of local control programs.
As you know, human West Nile Virus (WNV) continues to present a very significant threat to public health in South Dakota. Since WNV first emerged on South Dakota in 2001, there has been 2,612 human cases and 46 deaths due to mosquito borne WNV.
Applications are due by June 1st and funding awards will be available starting July 1st. Please note there were significant changes to the process of awarding funds in 2019. Awards will be made on a reimbursement basis only for mosquito control expenditures between April 1, 2020 and October 31, 2020. As an example, if your award amount is $500, you will start out by submitting the W-9, proof of insurance, and the signed contract. Then later on, you would submit an invoice with an itemized listing of mosquito control expenditures and proof of purchase information totaling at least $500. If you need to submit incrementally, you could also break this into two and submit a $250 invoice early on and then another $250 invoice later in the year. All mosquito control equipment and supply purchases must be documented with appropriate receipts or invoices. Please note all eligible expenditures must be completed by October 31, 2020 and all requests for reimbursement must be completed by November 30, 2020. Total reimbursements will not exceed the amount of your total award. You will be notified of your award amount when the agreements are sent out for signature. Total award amounts will still be based upon your jurisdiction’s history of human West Nile virus cases and latest population data.
Thank you for your work to prevent West Nile virus. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact the Department of Health, Office of Health Protection at 605-773-4945 and ask to speak to Julie or Bill.
Bill Chalcraft, SD DOH
Office of Health Protection
Access Resources
- National Efforts to Fight West Nile Virus
- A History of West Nile Virus in South Dakota
- Sustainability in Mosquito Control
Get educated on WNV facts and how to prevent the illness.
Know the Facts
West Nile Virus is an infection most commonly spread through mosquito bites. While it is prevalent in many states with large mosquito populations, the rate of incidents is highest in South Dakota. And WNV can lead to many other symptoms, including fevers and even serious—potentially fatal—illness.
Know Your Risk
- SDSU Extension Weekly Assessment & Mosquito Collection Data
- South Dakota West Nile Virus Fact Sheet
- How NASA is helping us fight West Nile
Try these simple tips to fend off the virus during peak mosquito seasons
Prevent the Infection
While there’s no direct cure or antidote to WNV, prevention is imperative. Take steps to protect yourself from infection, and you can save yourself a lot of unfortunate side effects that result from WNV.