Erie County Department of Health reminds residents of West Nile virus risk from mosquitoes

Positive test pool results from late August confirm presence of West Nile virus in area mosquitoes

The Erie County Department of Health is alerting residents to a mosquito pool test result that confirmed the presence of West Nile virus in area mosquitos. Municipal partners collected the sample from a location in the northern part of Erie County in mid-August.

ECDOH said this positive result is later than seen in previous years, as West Nile virus has been detected in mosquito pool samples in late July.

It is providing a printable version of its “Fight Mosquitos One Yard at a Time” poster, showing simple steps to limit places in yards where mosquitos can lay their eggs and multiply.

And even as cooler weather takes hold, to reduce the risk of mosquito bites when outdoors, ECDOH said residents should:

√Wear long sleeve shirt and long pants;

√Consider insect repellant and use according to label directions;

√Limit outdoor activities; mosquitoes are most active at dusk and at dawn; and

√Stay away from brush, shrubs and wooded areas where mosquitoes may live.

ECDOH stated, “Most people who are infected with West Nile virus will not have symptoms of illness. About one in five people who are infected will develop a fever and other symptoms like headache, body pains, vomiting or rash. For one in 150 people infected with West Nile virus, a severe illness affecting the central nervous system (can cause) severe illness. Fatigue and weakness from a West Nile virus infection can last for weeks or months.

The ECDOH division of environmental health and its vector control program continue to respond to complaints about stagnant pools in neighborhoods that “hold massive mosquito breeding grounds.” For more information on this program, call 716-961-6800.

More:

√Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, West Nile virus: https://www.cdc.gov/westnile/index.html

√Erie County Department of Health, West Nile virus: https://www2.erie.gov/health/index.php?q=west-nile-virus

(Image courtesy of Erie County Department of Health)