West Nile Virus Risk Reduction Planner

Many of us have become complacent about West Nile Virus. After several years of a low number of human cases we have quickly forgotten about the years we led the nation in the incidence rate and that South Dakotans have become very ill and a number of folks have died from the virus.

This is the time of the year of the greatest risk -- click here -- WNV Risk Reduction Planner to see how research by SDSU and SD DOH has been able to pinpoint the time of year of greatest risk.


Enjoy being outdoors, but take precautions to reduce your risk by wearing long sleeves and long pants, using mosquito repellent, and eliminating mosquito breeding areas around your house/farm.

Reduce Your Risk of Contracting West Nile Virus

If you have spent any time outdoors in recent days you know the mosquitoes are out in numbers! Many communities have been trapping and identifying mosquitoes for several months and developing their control programs accordingly to larvacide and/or adulticide. As we prepare to celebrate the 4th of July and enjoy time outdoors remember it is up to each individual to take responsibility for reducing their risk of West Nile Virus by eliminating breeding sites around the home, reducing time outdoors at dawn and dusk, wearing long sleeve shirts and long pants, and using repellents.

We are moving into the time of the season for the greatest risk of contracting West Nile Virus and thus for more information on the virus and how to protect yourself and your family -- click on BeReadyBrookings.com

Swine Influenza -- 2009 H1N1 Hybrid

In summary -- Chinese researchers added the their initial finding (reported last February) that a hybrid virus found in Hong Kong pigs contained elements of the 2009 human pandemic flu virus and two swine flu strains. The scientists reported the findings indicate the 2009 H1N1 pandemic virus, which originated in pigs, is capable of going back into pigs and trading genes with other flu viruses, thereby raising the risk of generating more virulent strains. Pigs have long been identified as mixing vessels for flu viruses, because they can be infected with human, avian, and swine influenza strains. Their conclusion is that surveillance of influenza viruses in swine is essential.

For more information on Swine Influenza see – EDEN Swine Influenza Topic page and 2009 H1N1 Pandemic Influenza see- EDEN Pandemic Influenza Topic page.

FDA Warns Against Fraudulent Generic Tamiflu

Though H1N1 activity has slowed and we are no yet into the 2010 flu season, today the U.S. Food and Drug Administration warned consumers about a potentially harmful product represented as Generic Tamiflu sold over the Internet. Testing of the product has revealed the product does not contain Tamiflu’s active ingredient, oseltamivir, but cloxacillin, an ingredient in the same class of antibiotics as penicillin

West Nile Virus Season

We are heading into West Nile Virus Season thus take the time to reduce mosquito breeding sites around your home and if you are going out to enjoy summer activities use mosquito repellent. There are many on the market and to check out the new EPA interactive site to select repellents based on time outdoors, active ingredient, etc log onto the BeBreadyBrookings web page. The link for the personal protection will take you to the EPA site.

A blog has been started to keep the Brookings County area updated on disaster planning and preparedness information from what community officials and representatives are doing to what individuals, families and businesses can do to prepare for any disaster, natural or man-made.