A Panhandle mosquito trap site has recently collected mosquitoes positive for West Nile virus. These are the first confirmed positives for the season in the Panhandle. These positive mosquitoes give Panhandle Public Health District (PPHD), along with other health departments, an indicator of the location of the virus and where people may encounter mosquitoes carrying the virus.
Melissa Haas, Environmental Health Coordinator with Panhandle Public Health District, explained that mosquitoes are trapped in Box Butte and Scotts Bluff Counties. She explained that the positive test was expected due to an uptick in mosquito activity.
“The one that was positive was one that was set up right before the start of July,” Haas said. “We trap every other week. We typically expect positives around July, that’s usually when it starts to pick up and we see more mosquito activity.”
Multiple locations across Nebraska are routinely monitoring sites to trap and test mosquitoes over the summer months. Human cases of West Nile are also used for surveillance. At this time, there have been no cases of human West Nile reported in Nebraska.
West Nile virus is contracted through the bite of a mosquito. It begins with flu-like symptoms that can include a slight fever and headaches, though 8 out of 10 people never develop symptoms. Severe symptoms of West Nile can lead to encephalitis which can cause inflammation of the brain, disorientation, convulsions and paralysis. People with compromised immune systems are especially susceptible to this disease.
Prevention is the best to avoid getting diseases from mosquitoes. All Nebraska residents are encouraged to:
• Use insect repellent that has DEET, picaridin, or oil of lemon eucalyptus.
• Be careful at dawn and dusk when mosquitoes are most active.
• Wear long sleeve shirts and pants, especially when out hiking and camping.
• Mosquitoes can breed in small pools of water, so frequently check your property for standing water and drain items such as kid wagons, bird baths, flowerpots, gutters, and tires.
• Even with the sudden change in weather, it is still advised to be cautious outdoors until there are consistently low overnight temperatures.
If you have any questions about West Nile virus, please call Melissa Haas at 308-487-3600 extension 108 or e-mail at mhaas@pphd.ne.gov.