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Jun 19, 2023

West Nile Virus detected in Jefferson County mosquitoes

The West Nile Virus has been found in four mosquito samples collected around the county, the Jefferson County Health Department reported Wednesday, Aug. 30. Specimen collections from Aug. 15 detected

The West Nile Virus has been found in four mosquito samples collected around the county, the Jefferson County Health Department reported Wednesday, Aug. 30.

Specimen collections from Aug. 15 detected the West Nile Virus in mosquitos from Imperial and Hillsboro, and collections from Aug. 29 detected the virus in mosquitoes from Arnold and House Springs, the report said.

They were this season’s first mosquito collections from Jefferson County that tested positive for the virus.

The Health Department’s Vector Division began implementing control measures in the areas of concern the same evenings when the positive tests were detected, and the division’s Mosquito Control and Surveillance program will continue to monitor the mosquito population for West Nile Virus, officials said.

“The JCHD Vector Program operates by searching for positive mosquito populations for the West Nile Virus,” said Brianne Zwiener, the Health Department’s public information officer. “The JCHD accomplishes this by means of trapping and testing for the virus.

“The other part of the program addresses mosquito population control by means of treatment (spraying) with adulticide. When the JCHD confirms a positive population for West Nile Virus, that site receives immediate treatment to eradicate that population to the best of our abilities.”

She said the county parks are regularly treated for mosquitos throughout the season – the summer and fall.

County residents may request spraying or preventive treatment.

“An identified positive will always be deemed a priority regarding these treatments,” Zwiener said.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the West Nile Virus is the leading cause of mosquito-borne disease in the continental U.S.. Most people affected with the virus don’t feel sick. But about one in five people develop a fever and other symptoms and one in 150 people develop a serious, sometimes fatal, illness.

The Health Department encourages residents throughout the county to be diligent in protecting themselves and their loved ones from mosquitoes when they are outdoors, both during the day and night. Protection from mosquitoes and the diseases they carry can be as simple as:

• Using insect repellents that contain 20 to 50 percent DEET or Picaridin.

• Wearing light-colored clothes.

• Covering exposed skin.

In addition to personal protection, residents may protect their homes and property by removing standing water sources, such as tires, cans, buckets, flowerpot sills, or other containers that can hold water for mosquitoes to lay their eggs in.

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