West Nile Virus Activity Detected in Dearborn Co.

A mosquito sample tested positive for the virus, but no human cases have been detected.

Shutterstock photo.

(Lawrenceburg, Ind.) – State health officials are urging Hoosiers to take steps to protect themselves from mosquito bites after West Nile virus (WNV) was detected in mosquitoes in Dearborn County.

According to a release from Dr. Stephen Elliason, a mosquito sample collected in Dearborn County has tested positive for WNV. No human cases of the disease have been detected this year or within the recent past.

However, the Indiana Department of Health expects WNV activity to continue across the state during mosquito season, which continues through the first hard freeze.

State health officials recommend the following personal protective measures:

• Avoid being outdoors when mosquitoes are active (especially during evening hours, from dusk to dawn, and in the early morning).
• Apply an EPA-registered insect repellent containing DEET, picaridin, IR3535, oil of lemon eucalyptus, or para-methane-diol to clothes and exposed skin.
• Cover exposed skin by wearing long sleeves and long pants in places where mosquitos are especially active, such as wooded and shady areas.
• Install or repair screens on windows and doors to keep mosquitos out of the home.

Other helpful tips include:

• Discard old tires, tin cans, ceramic pots, or other containers that can hold water.
• Each week, empty and scrub items that hold water such as birdbaths, toys, pools and flowerpot saucers.
• Repair failed septic systems.
• Drill holes in the bottom of recycling containers left outdoors.
• Keep grass cut short and shrubbery trimmed.
• Clean clogged roof gutters, particularly if leaves tend to plug up the drains.
• Frequently replace the water in pet bowls.
• Aerate ornamental pools, or stock them with predatory fish.