The Clinton County Health Department has confirmed the first mosquitoes to test positive for West Nile virus. The positive batches were collected on August 15th from rural Trenton, Germantown, and Bartelso.
West Nile is transmitted through the bite of the common house mosquito that has picked up the virus by feeding on an infected bird.
Common symptoms include fever, nausea, headache, and muscle aches. Symptoms may last from a few days to a few weeks. However, four out of five people infected with West Nile virus will not show any symptoms. People older than 60 and individuals with weakened immune systems are at higher risk for severe illness from West Nile virus.
Monitoring for West Nile includes laboratory tests for mosquito batches, dead crows, blue jays, robins, and other perching birds as well as testing sick horses and humans with West Nile virus-like symptoms. People who see a sick or dying crow, blue jay, robin, or other perching birds should contact their local health department. In Clinton County, call Louise McMinn at 618-594-8942 extension 333.
To protect yourself make sure doors and windows have tight-fitting screens. try and keep doors and windows shut. Eliminate, or refresh each week, all sources of standing water where mosquitoes can breed. When outdoors, wear shoes, and socks, long pants, and a light-colored long-sleeved shirt, and apply an EPA-registered insect repellent that contains DEET, picaridin oil of lemon eucalyptus, or IR3535 according to label instructions. Report any locations of sitting stagnant water for more than a week. The local health department or city government may be able to add larvicide to the water, which will kill any mosquito larvae.
