PORTSMOUTH, Ohio — Routine mosquito surveillance has turned up West Nile virus in the central and eastern parts of the city, and the Portsmouth City Health Department has scheduled insecticide treatment for Thursday to knock back the local mosquito population.
The positive pools were identified in areas near Charles Street, Brown Street and Gallia Street, the health department said in a Facebook post. Mosquito-control treatment in those areas is planned for Thursday, weather permitting; if conditions prevent the work, it will be pushed to the next appropriate date.
The health department stressed that finding West Nile virus in mosquito pools does not mean a human case has been identified. It does show the virus is circulating in the local mosquito population, and the department said it is notifying residents so they can take precautions to limit their exposure while it works to reduce the risk of transmission.
Most people infected with West Nile virus never develop symptoms, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. About one in five infected people develop a fever along with symptoms such as headache, body aches, joint pain, vomiting, diarrhea or a rash, typically within two weeks of a bite from an infected mosquito. Less than 1% develop severe illness affecting the central nervous system, a risk that rises for older adults and people with certain underlying health conditions.
Residents in the treatment area are asked to follow any instructions from PCHD personnel and may choose to stay indoors while the spraying takes place. The department also recommended bringing outdoor toys, pet dishes and food-related items inside, or covering them, as an added precaution.
The health department is urging residents across the city to “Fight the Bite” by using an EPA-registered insect repellent, wearing long sleeves and pants when practical, and limiting outdoor activity at dawn and dusk, when mosquitoes are most active. Officials also recommended repairing window and door screens, dumping standing water at least weekly from buckets, flowerpots, gutters, birdbaths, pool covers, pet dishes and old tires, keeping swimming pools properly chlorinated, and reporting areas of persistent standing water or heavy mosquito activity to the health department.
The information contained in this story was obtained from the Portsmouth City Health Department.
