West Nile funding cuts prompt area officials to find other money sources

MONTROSE—Despite the recent slashes in federal funding for West Nile programs in Colorado, local health departments will still make their preventive and educational services available for residents.

The Montrose County Department of Health and Human Services and the Delta County Health Department are continuing their "Fight the Bite" campaigns, which are geared towards informing the public about West Nile virus. They also set up traps and testing areas in locations that are prone to mosquito populations.

But the 22 percent cut in federal funding has some health officials wary of the future of the programs.

Karen Connor, who is the Health Educator for the Montrose County Department of Health and Human Services, explained that the cuts have put a significant damper on the education part of the program. She explained that because of the cuts, she has been unable to get out and provide prevention tips like she has been able to in past years.

"What we got this year was $1,000 dollars, and next year we will get $1,000 dollars, everything else has to come from the county," Karen Connor said.

But Connor remains optimistic that the West Nile Program will continue its presence in Montrose because of the county's financial help.

The department plans to continue their campaign by providing free mosquito repellent and BTI biological larvicide that can be put in standing water to kill mosquito larvae.

The county has also hired an epidemiologist, who helps with tracking the live mosquito population, as well as the population that is infected with the virus.

There are currently seven live mosquito trap sites in Montrose County, and one live mosquito trap in Ouray County, according to Connor.

Instead of letting the funding cuts decrease the number of traps, Connor said they decided to be creative to save money. Rather than buy the eight traps, Connor explained that they were homemade.

She said it was expected that the funding for West Nile virus campaigns and studies would decrease at some point.

Whenever there is an outbreak of something, the funding is always more prevalent in the beginning, and then eventually begins to taper off, she said.

Delta County will also be feeling the heat from the recent cuts.

"This year we're fine," Keith Lucy from the county's Health Department said.  "It's next year we have to be worried about."

Lucy explained that the department employs two seasonal workers who help with mosquito trapping and testing in the county. The department would definitely benefit from more seasonal help, but they are not hurting, Lucy said.

The county has continued with their usual summer tactics to battle the virus, which include aerial spraying, mosquito trapping and providing the public with prevention techniques.

One mosquito pool has been identified in Minnesota Creek in Paonia, and that area is being closely monitored, Lucy said.

"This summer isn't any better than last summer," Lucy said. "It's pretty much the same as last year. We're in the peak of the virus transmission, and nothing has indicated that it's going to go into a frenzy."

As of July 24, there have been eight confirmed cases of West Nile throughout Adams, Boulder, Cheyenne, Larimer, Logan, Mesa and Weld counties, according to the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment.

Mosquitoes trapped and tested in Montrose County have all come up negative for the virus.

Contact Marissa Brunner via e-mail at marissab@montrosepress.com