DOH - South Dakota Department of Health

05/01/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 05/01/2024 07:23

Health Department Announces Grants Available for Local Mosquito Control (1)

For Immediate Release: 05/01/2024
Contact: Tia Kafka -[email protected]

Health Department Announces Grants Available for Local Mosquito Control

PIERRE, S.D. - The South Dakota Department of Health today announced that cities, counties, and tribes can apply, or reapply, to obtain state grant funding to help control mosquito populations and prevent the spread of West Nile Virus (WNV) in their local communities.

"The state worked together with local mosquito control programs to prevent WNV since it first emerged," said Josh Clayton, state epidemiologist for the Department of Health. "These grants help prevent the mosquito that transmits WNV from flourishing."

South Dakota's first human case of WNV was reported in 2001. Since then, 2,843 cases have been identified, resulting in 53 deaths. Since WNV first emerged, the state has provided millions of dollars in support of local control programs and worked with local partners to best identify and respond to virus spread.

The grant amount available for 2024 is $500,000.

Individual grants will range from $500 to $20,000 and must be used exclusively for local mosquito control programs. Grant awards are based on the population of the applying jurisdiction and its number of human cases through the year 2023. To apply for the WNV Prevention grant, all eligible South Dakota city, county, and tribal officials should complete the online application.

All applications are due by June 1, 2024, and funding awards will be announced beginning July 1, 2024.

For questions regarding the application for this grant program or any other details, please email.

At the heart of the Department of Health's mission is a simple goal: to protect and improve the health of all South Dakotans. The department is entrusted with the vital task of promoting wellness, preventing disease, and ensuring access to quality healthcare for all South Dakotans.

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