West Nile Virus found in Perth and Ottawa mosquitoes

To reduce risk of exposure to the virus, Utahns should use repellent, wear long sleeves and trousers after dusk, remove standing water outside their homes, clean their gutters and keep grass and weeds trimmed short, health officials advised. The public is encouraged to continue to alert district officials when they come across dead birds, so the district can track the spread of the virus.

While WNV can infect people of all ages, people over the age of 50 are at higher risk for severe disease.

“This is the critical time of summer when virus activity reaches its peak in the mosquito population”, said Dr. Philip Armstrong, Medical Entomologist at the CAES.

There is no specific treatment for West Nile virus other than to treat symptoms. When present, WNV symptoms tend to include fever and flu-like illness.

From 2012 to 2017, a total of 574 West Nile fever cases were registered in Serbia, including 61 deaths that can be linked to the disease.

WNV is endemic in the United States, and OH has reported positive cases in horses each of the last few years.

Last year, three people were diagnosed with the virus.

Avoid being outdoors when mosquitoes are most active, especially between dusk and dawn.

¯ Pools, outdoor saunas and hot tubs should be cleaned and properly chlorinated, emptied or covered when not in use.

The mosquito pools were collected August 6 through August 8. You should wear loose-fitting and long-sleeved clothing.

Reduce the chance of a bite and the number of places for mosquitoes to breed by eliminating shallow containers of standing water and refreshing bird baths daily.

Our recent rains mean we may see a spike in mosquito breeding.

Install or Repair Screens.

Maintain window and door screening to help keep mosquitoes outside.

¯ Birdbath water should be changed weekly.

Use mosquito repellent on exposed skin. The Health Ministry was criticized Wednesday of failing to report the case, which was revealed by the Kan public broadcaster.

More information about West Nile is available here.