Three mosquito pools test positive for West Nile virus in Imperial County

IMPERIAL COUNTY, Calif. (KYMA) - The Imperial County Public Health Department (ICPHD) says three mosquito pools collected in the county tested positive for West Nile virus (WNV).

ICPHD says two WNV-positive mosquito pools were collected in the the City of Imperial last Sunday while the other one was collected in the City of Holtville last Monday.

They are "the first WNV-positive mosquito pools identified in Imperial and Holtville this year," ICPHD says.

ICPHD also says their Vector Control Program maintains around "52 mosquito traps throughout the county," with the traps being "checked several times each week, and mosquito pools are tested weekly."

"Our agency will continue to monitor disease activity and treat affected areas," said Jeff Lamoure, Deputy Director of Environmental Health. "Residents should continue taking precautions, including using insect repellent and limiting outdoor activity at dusk and dawn, when mosquitoes are most active."

WNV, according to ICPHD, is transmitted to humans through an infected mosquito's bite, and they listed off the following symptoms:

• Fever
• Headache
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Body aches
• Rash
• Fatigue

While some people experience mild to no symptoms, ICPHD says the virus can also cause severe disease which can affect the nervous system, particularly in older adults and those with weakened immune systems.

To combat this, ICPHD listed the following steps to avoid being infected:

• Limit outdoor activities.
• When outdoors, wear loose-fitting, light-colored, long-sleeved shirts and pants.
• Apply EPA-registered insect repellent containing DEET, picaridin, or oil of lemon eucalyptus according to label instructions.
• Make sure that doors and windows have tight-fitting screens. Repair or replace screens that have tears or holes.
• Eliminate all sources of standing water on your property that can support mosquito breeding by:
  • Draining or disposing of old tires, buckets, plastic covers, toys, or any other containers that can collect water.
  • Emptying and changing the water in birdbaths, fountains, wading pools, rain barrels, and potted plant trays at least once a week to destroy potential mosquito habitats.
  • Draining or filling temporary pools of standing water with soil.
  • Keeping swimming pool water properly treated and circulating.
• Contact Vector Control if you notice unusually high mosquito activity around your home or workplace.

If you or anyone you know develops symptoms of WNV, call your healthcare provider. To learn more about this, read the press release, written in English and Spanish, below.