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Public health officials report continued mosquito surveillance and shortages of primary‑care and mental‑health providers in Des Moines County
Summary
The county public health representative told supervisors the Aedes albopictus mosquito continues to be trapped locally (none have tested positive for Zika) and the county faces shortages in primary care, dental and behavioral‑health providers; poverty and food insecurity figures were highlighted.
BOURNE — At the March 25 meeting of the Des Moines County Board of Supervisors, county public‑health staff reported results from ongoing mosquito surveillance and summarized health‑system challenges for the county.
Public health staff said the Aedes albopictus mosquito — a species capable of carrying Zika virus — has been repeatedly trapped in recent years in Des Moines County, though the county’s specimens and those tested to date have not returned positive Zika results. Staff encouraged residents to use repellents when outdoors and described the county’s ongoing surveillance program.
The county health report also flagged local shortages of primary‑care physicians, dental care providers and mental‑health services. Staff cited county statistics showing about 14.6% of residents living below the poverty rate and approximately 5,190 residents experiencing food insecurity, figures the Board of Health will continue to monitor.
Why it matters: Continued mosquito surveillance informs public‑health messaging and vector control planning; shortages in clinical providers and high poverty and food‑insecurity rates signal ongoing access‑to‑care challenges for county residents.
Ending — Public health staff said they will continue annual surveillance and report findings to the Board of Health; they also noted the Board of Health’s web presence and annual reporting tools for county health metrics.
