LEBANON, Ohio — The Warren County Health District (WCHD) has identified a positive sample of West Nile Virus in the county.
The positive sample was identified on Monday, but collected on July 18 at the Miller Ecological Park in Lebanon.
This is the first positive sample of the season in Warren County, according to the WCHD.
The Centers for Disease Control say there are no symptoms in most people who have West Nile (8 out of 10), but 1 in five people develop a fever, headache, body aches, joint pain, vomiting, diarrhea or rash.
Serious symptoms affect 1 in 150 people, and can include a severe illness that affects the central nervous system, such as encephalitis (inflammation of the brain) or meningitis (inflammation of the membranes that surround the brain and spinal cord). Those over 60 years of age are at greater risk for serious symptoms. Of those who develop these serious illnesses, 1 in 10 of those people die, according to the CDC.
What you can do to stay safe: Tips provided by the Warren County Health District can help prevent mosquito bites and contracting West Nile Virus.
- Use insect repellent containing DEET at a concentration of at least 30%, following the label instructions for application
- Wear long sleeves
- Routinely empty out trash
- Make sure doors and windows have tight-fitting screens that are free of tears
- Eliminate any standing water on your property
- Dispose of any container that can hold water, such as discarded tires, plastic containers, tubs or wheelbarrows
- Make sure roof gutters drain properly
- Clean and chlorinate swimming pools or hot tubs, with water drained from pool covers
- Change the water in bird baths at least once a week
- Clean ditches of obstructions so they drain
The Warren County Health District said they will continue to treat standing water in public areas with an "environmentally safe larvicide."
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