The West Nile Virus Is In Virginia – Should Beallsville, MD Residents Be Concerned?
While mosquitoes are usually associated with the summer, the word Nile is usually associated with the Mark Twain quote, “Denial ain’t just a river in Egypt.” But it’s more than the longest river in Africa and the feature behind a great quote. It’s part of the name of a disease carried by mosquitoes.
York County in Virginia tests for mosquito borne illnesses and sprays on Saturdays during ‘mosquito season’. Last month, a mosquito pool tested positive for West Nile virus.
West Nile Virus is carried by certain birds and as soon as a mosquito bit it, the mosquito would get the virus. In turn, a mosquito carrying the virus can infect people and animals.
West Nile (WNV) is spread by the bite of an infected mosquito, most symptoms are mild, but there have been cases of encephalitis (inflammation of the brain), meningitis (inflammation of the lining of the brain and spinal cord), or polio-like paralysis. Read more from York County…
Although about 80% of those infected with West Nile Virus don’t have symptoms, the few who do often find them progressing to serious health problems.
Although summer ends this month, there are cases that are reported in the fall, so we in Beallsville, MD and Montgomery are not completely out of the woods yet.
There is no human vaccine or specific antiviral treatment for West Nile Virus. Virginia has an average of nine cases a year, according to VDH, however, last year there were no reported cases in the Peninsula district. Most cases of the virus are reported in late summer and early fall, around August and September. Read more from Daily Press…
Thankfully there aren’t a lot of cases that are reported annually. But since we’re yet to find a vaccine or treatment against it, it’s important to have a refresher on how to avoid contact with mosquitoes that may be carrying the West Nile virus.
The Virginia Department of Health recommends the following tips to reduce exposure to mosquitoes:
- Wear long, loose and light-colored clothing.
- If possible, limit outdoor exposure between dusk and dawn.
- Check window and door screens to ensure that mosquitoes cannot enter your home.
- Use insect repellants with DEET according to the manufacturer’s directions.
- Turn over or remove containers in your yard where water collects, such as old tires, potted plant trays, buckets and toys.
- Eliminate standing water on tarps or flat roofs.
- Clean out birdbaths, wading pools and swimming pools.
- Clean roof gutters and downspout screens.
As you follow the recommendations above, consider calling Backyard Bug Patrol. We are pros at eradicating and controlling mosquitoes in your backyard making it a pleasant place to be in. Let’s keep the West Nile Virus out of Montgomery County! Call us today.