HAMILTON COUNTY, Ohio -- Drain any standing water after Monday's rainfall. Mosquitoes trapped in Blue Ash have tested positive for West Nile virus.
This is the first time the Hamilton County Health Department has found West Nile virus this year, spokesman Mike Samet said, though it's been around Ohio since at least 2001.
The positive test came from a trap on Applewood Court. The health department will be working to control the mosquito population in that area with a larvicide, which kills mosquito larvae, and making sure swimming pools are working properly.
West Nile virus is transmitted through a mosquito bite. The insects breed in standing water, so regularly tipping out wading pools, buckets, bird baths and outdoor pet bowls is one way to keep mosquitoes at bay.
Other tips:
- Use mosquito "dunks" in areas of standing water you can't drain. The "dunks" kill mosquito larvae in the water but are harmless to people and pets.
- Keep lawns mowed and bushes trimmed.
- Make sure screens in windows and doors are tight-fitting to keep mosquitoes out.
- Wear long sleeves and pants during peak mosquito hours, which are around dawn and dusk.
- Use an insect repellent such as those containing DEET, picaridin or oil of lemon or eucalyptus.
According to the Ohio Department of Health, 17 Ohioans became infected with West Nile in 2016. Four of them died.
About 70 to 80 percent of people won't get sick if they're bitten by an infected mosquito. West Nile symptoms can include fever, headache, body aches, nausea, vomiting and sometimes swollen lymph glands or a skin rash on the chest, stomach and back. Symptoms can last for as short as a few days, though even healthy people have been sick for several weeks.
Less than 1 percent of people will develop serious symptoms, including high fever, headache, neck stiffness, stupor, disorientation, coma, tremors, convulsions, muscle weakness, vision loss, numbness and paralysis. These symptoms could last several weeks, and neurological effects could be permanent.
People over age 50 are most at risk. Anyone with the symptoms should see a doctor.
