FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:  Tuesday, April 10, 2018

CONTACT:  Bill Chalcraft (Bill.Chalcraft@state.sd.us), (605) 773-3361 

Grants Open For Mosquito Control Programs

PIERRE, S.D. – Cities, counties and tribes can again apply for state grant funding to help control mosquitoes and prevent West Nile virus (WNV).

“Since West Nile first appeared in South Dakota, local mosquito control programs and the state have worked together to reduce the risk of West Nile,” said Bill Chalcraft, public health preparedness and response administrator for the Department of Health. “We’re very pleased to continue that partnership with this latest round of grants.”

Chalcraft said the department has a total of $500,000 in funding available for local mosquito control programs. Grant awards will be based on the population of the applying jurisdiction and its number of human cases through 2017. Individual grants could range from $500 to $20,000.

Applications are available on the department’s WNV website, westnile.sd.gov and the submission deadline is June 1. Grant awards will be issued after July 1.

Since WNV emerged in South Dakota, the department has provided local control programs $6.6 million in support, including both direct funding and mosquito control chemicals.

The state’s first human case was reported in 2001. Since then, South Dakota has reported 2,432 human cases and 42 deaths.

Preventing and controlling infectious disease is one objective of the Department of Health’s 2015-2020 strategic plan, http://doh.sd.gov/strategicplan.

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(CHAWL’-kraft)