Horses infected with West Nile virus

Horses infected with West Nile virus
                        

The Wayne County Health Department received confirmation that four unvaccinated horses in Wayne County have tested positive for West Nile virus in the last month.

To date, 41 Ohio counties participating in statewide mosquito surveillance have had mosquitoes test positive for West Nile virus including neighboring jurisdictions.

The primary way people get West Nile virus is through the bite of an infected mosquito. Most people who become infected with the virus do not have any symptoms. About one in five people who become infected develop a fever with other symptoms such as headaches, body aches, joint pains, vomiting, diarrhea or rashes.

Less than one percent of infected people develop a serious neurological illness such as encephalitis or meningitis (inflammation of the brain or surrounding tissues). There are no medications to treat or vaccines to prevent West Nile virus infection.

“Mosquito season in Ohio usually lasts until the first hard freeze in mid-October; however, due to our unseasonable warm temperatures as of late, we need the public to continue taking steps to reduce their risk of being bitten,” nursing supervisor Marcy Manack said.

Here are some tips to avoid mosquito bites:

If you are outdoors between dusk and dawn when mosquitoes are most active, be sure to wear long pants, a long-sleeved shirt, shoes and socks; wear light-colored clothing; use EPA-registered mosquito repellent and follow the label directions; and install or repair screens on windows and doors to keep mosquitoes out of your home.

Here are some tips to eliminate mosquito breeding sites around your home:

Eliminate standing water; empty or remove water-holding containers such as buckets, unused flower pots and bird baths; make sure all roof gutters are clean and draining properly; and keep child wading pools empty and on their sides when not being used.


Loading next article...

End of content

No more pages to load