West Nile found in mosquitos
By Terry Murry on Tuesday, August 2nd, 2022 in Columbia Basin News More Top Stories
KENNEWICK – Mosquitos collected in Kennewick by the Benton County Mosquito Control District have tested positive for West Nile virus. This is the first detection of West Nile virus in Washington this year. The Benton-Franklin Health District urges everyone to take precautions to avoid mosquito bites, although no human cases of West Nile virus have been reported so far this year.
Most people infected with West Nile virus will not feel sick. About one in five people who are infected with the virus will develop a fever and other symptoms such as a headache or body aches. However, West Nile virus infection can be very serious, resulting in encephalitis, meningitis, or other complications in about one out of 150 cases. In some cases, it can be fatal. People with certain medical conditions that affect the immune system, such as cancer, diabetes, hypertension, or kidney disease, are at greater risk for serious illness.
Safety steps include draining sources of standing water around your home weekly as the mosquitoes most likely to spread the virus prefer to breed in water found in containers, tires, buckets, and other sources of stagnant water. If possible, stay indoors during dusk and dawn, which is prime mosquito biting times. If going outside, use EPA-approved insect repellent which have ingredients that include DEET, picaridin, PMD, IR3535, or oil of lemon eucalyptus.
