Allen Parish Mosquito Control would like to address the public on the 2020 mosquito season. This year, 236 samples were sent to the Louisiana ArboVirus testing lab.
Trevor Strother, field operations director for Allen Parish Mosquito Control, explained of the 236, 13 samples were confirmed positive for West Nile Virus. The disease positive samples were received and treated between June 10, 2020, and August 11, 2020, in the towns of Oakdale, Oberlin and the Mittie area. The areas positive for WNV were treated back to negative with control efforts being implemented by Allen Parish Mosquito Control.
After the effects of two major hurricanes and two major mosquito outbreaks, Allen Parish Mosquito Control successfully procured two aerial spray applications.
The aerial application after hurricane Laura, consisted of 263,680 acres, according to Strother. Allen Parish Mosquito Control paid $511,539.20 upfront. FEMA approved to reimburst 75 percent of 153,955 acres for a reimburstment of $224,004.52. Allen Parish Mosquito Control will pay the remaining $74,668.18. Allen Parish Mosquito Control also sprayed an additonal 109,725 acres and assumed the additional cost of $212,866.50 to pay a total of $287,534.68 for the aerial applications after hurricane Laura.
Due to the severity of Delta’s residual mosquito outbreak, the State of Louisiana approved to pay the remaining 25 percent, saving Allen Parish Mosquito Control $74,668.18.
Allen Parish Mosquito Control sprayed an additional 122,525 acres and assumed the additional cost to pay a total of $237,698.50 for the aerial applications after hurricane Delta. The combined cost of all aerial applications after hurricane Laura and Delta, cost Allen Parish Mosquito Control $525,233.18 after reimburstments from FEMA are received.