HOLLYWOOD, Fla. (NewsNation) — Aprils showers bring May flowers, but this year’s showers brought mosquitos.
Due to heavy rainfall, the sitting water in states like California, Iowa and Florida are experiencing an influx in mosquitos breeding before their prime season. Even states like Minnesota, that saw a snowier-than-usual winter ,are expecting mosquitoes galore.
For that reason, states have started spraying for mosquitos early.
Following April’s history rain event, the Florida Department of Health in Broward County issued a mosquito advisory.
“We’re seeing a pretty early mosquito season, both in Florida and in other parts of the country where there’s been massive amounts of rain, massive amounts of snow melt, and storms that are leaving behind destruction and therefore standing water where those mosquitoes can breed,” said Robin King, the Collier Mosquito Control District’s director of communications.
While the water has been good for the California drought season, experts are concerned about diseases that spread to people by mosquitos.
“In California, the most prevalent disease that we have is West Nile virus, and yes, this year, we have already started to see what’s our virus activity — so dead birds that have tested positive for the disease as well as mosquitoes,” said Luiz Maria Robles of the Sacramento Mosquito Control.
Experts are encouraging people to cover their skin with clothing or repellent, wear shoes, socks, long pants and long sleeves, and apply mosquito repellent to brake skin and clothing to prevent mosquito-borne illnesses.
