What West Nile Virus Found In Davis County Means to Southern Utah

Davis County Finds West Nile

Routine mosquito trapping in Davis County turned up a positive West Nile sample, prompting officials to remind residents to use repellent, wear long sleeves, and dump standing water.

If you develop fever, severe headache, neck stiffness, or confusion after mosquito exposure, seek medical care and mention possible West Nile contact.

But Let's Talk About Southern Utah

Okay now that we got the "public health bulletin" out of the way let's get personal. Davis County has standing water problems?! Standing water? As in, water that just... sits long enough for bugs to move in, throw a party, and raise families?

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Down here in southern Utah, we don't have a standing water problem. We have a finding water problem. Down here, our mosquito pools are more like mosquito dust bowls.

If a mosquito in St. George wants to breed, it has to submit a water-rights application, attend a zoning meeting, and then hope someone has a leaky hose.

The Jealousy Is Real

If we are being honest, there is a small, damp corner of the southern Utahn's heart that hears "mosquito-borne illness outbreak" and thinks, must be nice. Must be nice to have gutters clogged with something other than red dust and a tumbleweed.

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We're not rooting for anyone to get sick. Obviously. But there's a certain begrudging respect for a county that has enough moisture lying around to give a virus somewhere to crash for the summer. Down here, if a mosquito wants to breed in standing water, it better have brought its own water.

A Friendly Southern Utah PSA

So, Davis County, godspeed on the mosquito abatement. Drain those birdbaths, dump those tires, patch those screens. Meanwhile, the rest of us will be over here in the red rock, mildly offended that we don't even qualify for a mosquito problem, let alone a virus story.