West Nile virus detected in Cincinnati through mosquito samples

West Nile virus has been detected in mosquitoes in the Cincinnati area, according to health officials.The Cincinnati Health Department said through their regular and ongoing surveillance for mosquito-borne diseases, they collected a mosquito samples in Bond Hill and Madisonville that tested positive for the West Nile virus.Video above: West Nile Virus identified among mosquito population, Springdale health officials sayThe health department said the samples were the first positive results so far this summer.The department’s Technical Environmental Services team contacts all residents within about a .5- and 1-mile radius informing them that mosquitoes that tested positive for the West Nile virus were found in the area and providing information on how they can protect themselves.The CHD said that last year, Cincinnati had 31 West Nile virus-positive mosquito pools, far above the average of three positive pools per year. However, no human infections were diagnosed. The last confirmed case of West Nile virus infection of a Cincinnati resident was in 2012. “Whenever we find West Nile virus in our local mosquito population, we recognize the danger of it being transmitted to humans. That is what we want to prevent,” Dr. Grant Mussman, the Cincinnati Health Department commissioner, said in a statement. “We want to encourage Cincinnati area residents to take some simple precautionary measures to protect themselves, their families, and their neighbors.” Health officials recommend the following preventive measures:Avoid being outdoors when mosquitoes are active (especially late afternoon, dusk to dawn, and early morning);Apply an EPA-registered insect repellent containing DEET, picaridin, IR3535, oil of lemon eucalyptus or para-menthane-diol to clothes and exposed skin;Cover exposed skin by wearing a hat, long sleeves and long pants in places where mosquitoes are especially active, such as wooded areas;Install or repair screens on windows and doors to keep mosquitoes out of the home.There are several things that can be done to help prevent mosquitoes from breeding near homes and to protect people from mosquito bites.Eliminate sources of standing water in your yard, such as saucers under flowerpots, children’s toys, wheelbarrows, boats, tires, puddles, etc.Replace water in bird baths and outdoor pet dishes at least every week to help eliminate stagnant water.Keep the swimming pool circulating, clean and chlorinated, and remove any water that collects on the swimming pool cover.Empty out and turn over plastic wading pools or kiddie pools when not in use.Keep gutters clean to prevent standing water. For questions or more information regarding West Nile virus or mosquitoes, contact the Cincinnati Health Department’s Technical Environmental Services Unit at 513-352-2922.