Health officials have declared that the first batch of mosquitoes has tested positive for West Nile virus for the first time in Lake County this year. They have issued a public warning to stay home and protect themselves. As per the report, a mosquito pool that is also known as a batch of mosquitoes has been tested last week in Lake Bluff and the batch of mosquitoes has been detected with West Nile virus. The officials from the Lake County Health Department have said that the batch of mosquitoes is the first confirmed sign of West Nile virus prevalence in Lake County this year. r. Mark Pfister, who is the managing director of the Lake County Health Department and Community Health Center, has warned that as the summer season approaches, people’s time spent outdoors shoots up, therefore, it also increases their exposure to mosquitoes. Dr. Mark Pfister has urged people to stay indoors and fight the bite to protect themselves and their loved ones from mosquitoes that might contain the West Nile virus.
The Health Department of Lake County has advised people to follow the Four Dos of Defense against West Nile Virus to protect themselves and family members from infected mosquitoes. Health experts have said that people should avoid an accumulation of water around neighborhood areas. They should drain standing water from items around their homes, yards, and businesses. Health experts have said that people should use an insect repellent that contains DEET, picaridin, oil of lemon eucalyptus, 2-undecanone, or IR3535. They need to keep reapplying the repellent as per the label guidelines. People need to protect themselves all the time. They need to make sure that they are wearing repellent during dawn and dusk. Experts have said that during these prime times, mosquito activity increases. People need to dress properly whenever they are going out; they need to wear long-sleeve shirts, pants, closed-toe shoes to cover their skin completely. Health experts have said that Culex Pipiens mosquitoes are the main carriers of the West Nile virus, the prevalence of these mosquitoes shoots up in hot weather. People of the region can prevent these mosquitoes from breeding by draining out stagnant water from their homes and offices and nearby areas. Health officials have said that buckets, gutters, plant containers, pots, kiddie pools, and any other vessel that can hold water can turn into breeding sites for these mosquitoes. The Lake County Health Department has put the Mosquito Surveillance program in place. Mosquitoes are being tested for the West Nile virus every week. This program also keeps a record of dead birds that is a sign of West Nile virus prevalence in the region. The program examines places of stagnant water for the existence of mosquito larvae, particularly from the Culex Pipiens mosquitoes.
The deputy director of Environmental Health at the Lake County Health Department, Dr. Michael Adam has said that though hot and dry weather leads to less number of mosquitoes overall, the Culex Pipiens mosquitoes that can cause West Nile virus are still effective in the hot and dry climate. Dr. Michael Adam has claimed that the highest number of West Nile virus cases in previous years have always occurred during hot and dry weather. As per the report, around 93 batches of mosquitoes have tested positive for the West Nile virus last year. Since 2003, there have been around 73 human cases of West Nile virus in Lake County. Around four people have lost their lives due to the infection. Health experts have said that most people who are diagnosed with the West Nile virus show no symptoms of infection. Some people might fall ill 3 to 15 days after the mosquito bite. Fever, nausea, headache, and muscle ache some of the common symptoms of the disease.
