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South Dakota cities, counties, tribes receive grants to control mosquitoes and prevent West Nile virus

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South Dakota cities, counties, tribes receive grants to control mosquitoes and prevent West Nile virus
Photo courtesy Alpha Media

June 30, 2020

PIERRE, S.D. – More than 200 South Dakota cities, counties and tribes will share in $500,000 in grants intended to control mosquitoes and prevent West Nile virus.

The announcement was made today by the South Dakota Department of Health.

All applying communities received funding, with grants ranging from $500 to $20,000. Grant awards were based on the population of the applying jurisdiction and its history of human West Nile cases through 2019.

Since its first human West Nile case in 2001, the state has reported 2,612 human cases and 46 deaths. Every county has reported cases.

Including this latest round of grants, the state has provided local mosquito control programs with more than $8.5 million in support, in either direct grant funding or control chemicals, since the virus emerged in South Dakota.