Four new batches of mosquitoes have tested positive this week for West Nile Virus in Kane County, the Kane County Health Department reported Thursday.
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The first case, a woman in her late 40s, was reported in July and was diagnosed as non-neuroinvasive – the less-threatening form of the disease that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say accounts for the majority of cases. “We had a really wet beginning of the summer and it’s turned to dry conditions, which breed mosquitoes really easily”.
The first and only reported case in Harris County this year was found in an elderly woman, who contracted the serious, neuroinvasive form of the disease. The worst year in recent history for the mosquito-carried virus was 2012, when 122 human cases were recorded.
To prevent infection, cover up outside when you can and wear mosquito repellent containing DEET.
People primarily get West Nile virus through the bite of an infected mosquito, but less than 1 percent of those infected develop a serious neurological illness such as encephalitis or meningitis, Williams County officials said. Insect repellents also are not recommended for children younger than 2 months.
Apply repellent on exposed skin and clothing.
To apply repellent to your face, spray on your hands and then rub on your face.
Wear long-sleeved shirts and trousers when outdoors for long periods of time.
Avoid being outdoors when mosquitoes are most active, especially between dusk and dawn.
Make sure your house has tight-fitting windows and doors and that all screens are free of holes. Also, eliminate or treat instances of standing water around the yard.
Dispose of tin cans, ceramic pots and other unnecessary containers that have accumulated on your property.
Drill holes in the bottom of outdoor recycling containers. They are often overlooked, but can produce millions of mosquitoes each season. Properly maintain wading pools and stock ornamental ponds with fish. Water gardens can become major mosquito producers if they are allowed to stagnate. A swimming pool left untended by a family for a month can produce enough mosquitos to result in neighborhood-wide complaints. Stagnant pools of water, regardless of their size, can serve as mosquito breeding grounds.
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With that in mind, residents are reminded to take precautions to avoid contracting West Nile Virus.
