More than 200 South Dakota cities, counties, and tribes will share in $499,767 in grants intended to control mosquitoes and prevent West Nile virus, the Department of Health announced today.
All applying communities received funding, with grants ranging from $300 to $20,000. Grant awards were based on the population of the applying jurisdiction and its history of human WNV cases through 2017.
Area communities receiving funding, include:
Huron $ 9,286
Arlington $ 1,429
Clark $ 2,691
Conde $ 881
De Smet $ 4,311
Doland $ 882
Highmore $ 1,200
Hitchcock $ 1,241
Letcher $ 2,502
Miller $ 3,055
Redfield $ 5,583
Spink County $ 6,000
Wessington Springs $ 1,610
Willow Lake $ 1,500
Wolsey $ 2,144
Woonsocket $ 2,500
Since its first human WNV case in 2002, the state has reported 2,432 human cases, including 778 hospitalizations and 42 deaths. Every county has reported cases. This season South Dakota reported its first human WNV case in a blood donor from Todd County earlier this month.
Including this latest round of grants, the state has provided local mosquito control programs with more than $7.5 million in support, in either direct grant funding or control chemicals, since the virus emerged in South Dakota.
(SD Dept. of Health)