The Jefferson County Health Department is warning county residents to avoid mosquitoes because some recently collected in the area have tested positive for the West Nile Virus.
Those mosquitoes were collected in the Arnold, Fenton and De Soto areas on July 29 and July 30, the agency has reported.
As a result, the Health Department will target those parts of the county with mosquito-control methods. Municipalities that have their own mosquito-control programs have been notified, according to a written statement from the health department.
West Nile virus, if contracted, can make people sick or, in rare cases, kill them.
Most people infected by the disease (about 80 percent) will have no symptoms at all. Of those who show symptoms, like fever, headache, fatigue, muscle aches, nausea, vomiting and a rash, only 1 percent will suffer severe symptoms, such as swelling of the brain or poliomyelitis (inflammation of the spinal cord that can lead to paralysis), which can be fatal, said Steve Crawford, environmental public health specialist for the Health Department.
People most likely to display symptoms are older adults, he said.
“We want to emphasize that people should take precaution by using insect repellants,” Crawford said.
Repellents that contain DEET or Picaridin are best, he said.
Wearing light colored clothing also is helpful.
Crawford said standing water is a breeding ground for mosquitoes, so people should take care to eliminate any water that collects in tires, cans, buckets, rain barrels or other containers on their property. Gutters should be free of debris.
“These are the types of water sources that breed the species of mosquitoes that carry diseases,” he stated.
Water in decorative ponds or other permanent containers should be treated with Mosquito Bits or Mosquito Dunks, Crawford said.
The Jefferson County Health Department will continue to collect and test mosquitoes through September and expects that more will test positive for the virus.
“Surveillance helps us target our resources,” Crawford said.