Another sample of local mosquitos tested positive for West Nile virus. Hamilton County Public Health said Monday it trapped the mosquitos in Wyoming. Last week, the Cincinnati Health Department announced it found West Nile in mosquitos collected in Madisonville. How common is West Nile virus in our area? And how concerned should you be?
Below, we answer some questions you may have about the virus and its presence in the area.
Have any human cases been reported?
No human cases of the virus have been reported this year in Hamilton County. In fact, there hasn't been a confirmed human case of West Nile in Cincinnati since 2015. The Ohio Department of Health hasn't confirmed any cases of West Nile virus in humans this year. Last year, 14 cases were reported statewide.
Less than 3,000 cases have been reported across the country since 2013, according to CDC data.
What are the symptoms of West Nile virus?
Many people who get West Nile won't have symptoms. But the virus can cause headache, joint pain, and nausea in about 1 out of 5 people who contract it. In about 1% of cases, the virus also can cause potentially fatal inflammation of the brain or other serious neurological illness.
How does West Nile spread?
“West Nile virus can spread to humans through mosquito bites,” Cincinnati Health Department Commissioner Grant Mussman, MD, said in a news release last week. “Fortunately, the steps you can take to prevent infection are straightforward and effective, like dumping standing water and wearing repellant, especially at dawn and dusk."
How can I stay safe?
Cincinnati's health department suggests the following to lower the risk of contracting West Nile:
- Eliminate unnecessary standing water in your yard, since that's where mosquitos lay eggs
- Refresh the water in bird baths and pet bowls at least once a week
- Keep swimming pools circulating and chlorinated
- Empty wading pools when not in use and turn them upside down
- Keep gutters clean
- Use a mosquito repellant approved by the EPA on exposed parts of your skin when outside
- Use mosquito repelling briquettes like Mosquito Dunks that contain BTi in any standing water you can't remove
- Make sure screens on windows, doors, and vents are intact
What if I have questions?
More information about West Nile is available via the Centers for Disease Control and the Ohio Department of Health. You can contact the Cincinnati Health Department’s Technical Environmental Services Unit at 513-352-2922 with questions about West Nile.
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