Mosquito Pools Test Positive for West Nile Virus in Imperial County
Share your love
–Editorial
The Imperial County Public Health Department announced that three mosquito pools collected in Imperial County have tested positive for West Nile virus, marking the first detections of the virus this year in the cities of Imperial and Holtville.
According to the department, two WNV-positive mosquito pools were collected on July 5 in the City of Imperial, while a third positive pool was collected on July 6 in Holtville.
The department’s Vector Control Program operates approximately 52 mosquito traps throughout the county. The traps are inspected several times each week, and collected mosquito pools are tested weekly to monitor mosquito-borne disease activity.
“Our agency will continue to monitor disease activity and treat affected areas,” Jeff Lamoure, deputy director of Environmental Health, said in a statement. “Residents should continue taking precautions, including using insect repellent and limiting outdoor activity at dusk and dawn, when mosquitoes are most active.”
West Nile virus is spread to people through the bite of an infected mosquito. Most infected individuals experience mild illness or no symptoms, according to health officials. Symptoms can include fever, headache, nausea, vomiting, body aches, rash, and fatigue. In some cases, particularly among older adults and people with weakened immune systems, the virus can cause serious neurological illness, including encephalitis, or inflammation of the brain.
Public health officials recommend reducing exposure to mosquito bites by limiting outdoor activities during dawn and dusk, wearing long-sleeved shirts and pants, and using U.S. Environmental Protection Agency-registered insect repellents containing DEET, picaridin or oil of lemon eucalyptus.
Residents are also encouraged to eliminate standing water around homes and businesses by regularly emptying containers that collect water, maintaining birdbaths and fountains, properly treating swimming pools, and ensuring doors and windows have intact screens to help prevent mosquito breeding.
The department advises residents to contact Vector Control if they observe unusually high mosquito activity near their home or workplace. Anyone who develops symptoms consistent with West Nile virus should contact a healthcare provider.
