State and local health officials are urging residents to take steps to protect themselves from mosquito bites after the West Nile Virus has been detected for the first time this year.
Mosquito samples collected in Starke County and in Pulaski County have tested positive for West Nile Virus. No human cases of the disease have been detected this year, but the Indiana Department of Health expects activity to continue across the state during mosquito season, which continues through the first hard freeze.
Residents are asked to discard old tires, tin cans, ceramic pots, or other containers that can hold water; each week, empty and scrub items that hold water such as birdbaths, toys, pools, and flowerpot saucers; repair failed septic systems; drill holes in the bottom of recycling containers left outdoors; keep grass cut short and shrubbery trimmed; clean clogged roof gutters, particularly if leaves tend to plug up the drains; frequently replace the water in pet bowls; and aerate ornamental pools, or stock them with predatory fish.
As for personal protective measures, health officials suggest avoiding being outdoors when mosquitoes are active during evening hours, from dusk to dawn, and in the early morning; applying an EPA-registered insect repellent containing DEET, picaridin, IR3535, oil of lemon eucalyptus, to clothes and exposed skin; cover exposed skin by wearing long sleeves and long pants in places where mosquitoes are especially active, such as wooded and shady areas; or install or repair screens on windows and doors to keep mosquitoes out of the home.
People who think they may have West Nile Virus should contract their healthcare professional.
