Stacey Feldman and her 3-year-old daughter sat on a playground Monday near Brackenridge Park, determined to stay as far away as they could from the swarms of mosquitoes that appear to have infested the entire city.
They avoided going any closer to the park, of which Feldman described the mosquito population as “horrible.” While they seemed to be safe from the insects, she warily eyed a puddle some yards away where they could emerge.
Mayor Ron Nirenberg and health officials called on the public to look for such breeding grounds and report them to 311, the city’s assistance number. They also urged people to empty anything outside that has collected water.
With San Antonio enduring the second-wettest September on record, conditions are optimal for mosquito breeding. On Monday, during a respite from rains that soaked the region again, city officials had their first opportunity to start combating the proliferation of mosquitoes.
“With record rains come record mosquitoes,” said Colleen Bridger, director of the San Antonio Metropolitan Health District. “We have been waiting for it to stop raining so we can get our folks out there and start to address this growing mosquito population.”
Related: UT Health San Antonio researchers link 'zombie cells' to Alzheimer's
Bridger said the city is sending out crews to treat areas known for standing water. Their most effective method is targeting puddles with mosquito dunks, doughnut-shaped pods that kill larvae before they can become carriers of disease. Insecticide spraying is also being used in some areas. Supplies of the dunks have been distributed to City Council district offices, she said.
Health officials have been on the lookout for potential cases of two mosquito-borne diseases: the West Nile and Zika viruses. No human cases have been reported here this year, Bridger said.
Last year, Bexar County reported four people infected with Zika, all of whom contracted it while traveling abroad. The disease is a threat particularly to pregnant women because it has been linked to microcephaly — the development of an abnormally small head — and other birth defects in newborns.
West Nile, far more common than Zika in the U.S., can cause mild flu-like symptoms. Most healthy people who contract it can recover without medical help. Bridger said West Nile is more of a danger to the elderly, children and those with compromised immune systems.
People can cut down on mosquitoes around their homes by dumping all sources, no matter how small, of standing water, such as birdbaths, watering cans and saucers under flowerpots, Bridger said. She also suggested drying the empty containers with a towel, a step that should be repeated with every bout of rain.
“It just takes a couple of drops of water,” Bridger said.
She also encouraged people to protect themselves by wearing insect repellent and long sleeves and pants while outdoors.
With more rain expected this weekend, Feldman said she has dug out her bug spray and disposed of standing water, doing what she can to stop the pests, which are abundant near her Mahncke Park home.
“We try to keep up with the water, but there’s been so much rain lately,” Feldman said.
Lauren Caruba covers health care and medicine in the San Antonio and Bexar County area. Read her on our free site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com. | firstname.lastname@example.org | Twitter: @LaurenCaruba