West Nile virus detected in mosquito trap samples in Marion Township

MARION TOWNSHIP - Mosquitoes from Marion Township, north of Logan, tested positive for the West Nile Virus.

The Hocking County Health Department received test results from the Ohio Department of Health late last week from a pool of mosquitoes from mid-July.

According to a Fairfield Department of Health’s Facebook post, three mosquito samples tested positive for the West Nile Virus in Millersport and Thurston.

Multiple messages left with the Fairfield Department of Health were not returned.

On July 31, the Walnut Township Trustees issued a West Nile Alert on their Facebook page about this discovery. According to the trustees' Facebook post, the positive samples were collected from traps set near the Thurston municipal building and the health department is "targeting the treatment of stagnant pools seen in a drainage ditch in the area."

According to the Ohio Department of Health’s website, there are two 2018 human West Nile Virus cases in Ohio, one in Ross County and one in Lake County.

Safety measures

According to the Centers for Disease Control, the most effective way to West Nile virus disease is to prevent mosquito bites using insect repellent and reapplying as directed, wearing long-sleeved shirts and long pants and emptying, covering or turning over items that hold water, including tires, buckets, planters, toys pools, birdbaths and other items once a week. This includes items inside and outside the home as mosquitoes lay eggs near water.

The CDC also recommends using air conditioning whenever possible, window and door screens.

For babies who are too young for insect repellant (under two years old) cover strollers and baby carrier with a mosquito netting and dress them in long pants and long-sleeved shirts.

Reports and symptoms

Mosquitoes become infected with the virus after biting infected birds.

According to the CDC, as of July 24, 36 states reported West Nile virus infections in people, birds or mosquitoes so far this year. Of those reports, there have been 39 cases of people reported to the CDC with the disease.

Most people with the disease do not have any symptoms — about 8 of every 10 people infected. And about 1 in 5 people develops a fever, according to CDC statistics.

Most people who with West Nile virus disease recover, but fatigue and weakness lasts for weeks or months. About 1 in 150 people who are infected develop a severe illness impacting the central nervous system, according to the CDC.

The severe illness can occur in people of any age, but people over 60 or with certain medical conditions including diabetes, kidney disease caner or hypertension, are at greater risk. Symptoms include high fever, headache, neck stiffness, stupor, disorientation, coma, muscle weakness, vision loss, convulsions. One in 10 people who develop a severe illness die.

For additional safety tips and more information on West Nile virus visit www.cdc.gov.