West Nile Virus: An Acceptable Level of Risk "An acceptable
level of risk", is used to describe the pesticides utilized in
controlling adult mosquitoes infected with the West Nile Virus.
This year in California and other states, agencies responsible
for monitoring WNV have detected dead birds and mosquitoes
infected with the virus a couple of months earlier than previous
years. Texas is behind eight-ball as the number of deaths
attributed WNV is more than all other states combined.
Meanwhile, Sacramento and Yolo Counties Mosquito and Vector
Control District has increased its efforts to keep the virus in
check. Their strategy includes the aerial spraying of
pesticides. "It is our last resort, " said Luz María Rodríguez,
spokesperson for the district, "when we find adult mosquitoes
with the virus we need to spray the area to kill them and
prevent them from infecting a human." "Not so fast," says Mike
Somers, State Director of Pesticide Watch in Sacramento, "the
concern we have are with the chemicals sprayed ove