Recent rains bring swarms of unwelcomed visitors

Updated: August 13, 2020

***Spraying for mosquitoes is going on in Los Fresnos and in other RGV cities as recent rains have brought swarms of the blood-sucking insects.*** Photo: Tony Vindell / LFN

By TONY VINDELL
LFN

LOS FRESNOS – As if today’s COVID-19 pandemic wasn’t enough to worry about, there is now another thing people must deal with.

Mosquitoes.

Swarms of the blood-sucking insects have proliferated thanks to Hurricane Hanna and the heavy amount of rain that has pounded the area and caused flooding in recent weeks.

Here in the Los Fresnos area, including Bayview, Indian Lake and Laureles, the swarms of mosquitoes have been sending people indoors.

Mosquitoes are transmitters of a number of viruses such as West Nile, which is the most common virus spread by these insects in the continental United States. In other countries and in some U.S. territories, mosquitoes can cause dengue, Zika and chikungunya.

Meanwhile, mosquitoes can also transmit heartworms to dogs, which can lead to death if untreated.

Carlos Salazar, the city’s public works director, said the city has started spraying for mosquitoes the last week of July and will continue with the campaign until the plague is under control.

“We divide the city in two sections,” he said. “That is the north and south side of Highway 100.”

He said spraying began on the north side on Friday, July 31 and on the south side the following day.

Salazar said they have also been sending crews to the three major city parks – Memorial, Community and Nature parks.

“We are going to continue,” he added, “for as long as it takes until the mosquitoes are gone.”

The city of Brownsville has also started spraying for mosquitoes as well.

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