The Pennsylvania Department of Health has confirmed and reported a human case of West Nile in York County in a press release.
Residents in York County are advised to take all steps necessary to protect themselves from biting mosquitoes this holiday weekend.
Recommendations include avoid being outdoors when mosquitoes are active, dress properly by wearing long sleeve shirt and long pants, wear an insect repellent and use an electric fan outside to keep air moving and help keep mosquitoes away.
Thirty seven new mosquito samples recently collected by Penn State Cooperative Extension and Pennsylvania DEP staff in Dillsburg Borough, East Manchester Township, Lower Windsor Township, Manchester Township (6), Monaghan Township, North Codorus Township, Seven Valleys Borough (2), Spring Garden Township (3), Springettsbury Township (6), West Manchester Township and York City (11) have tested positive for West Nile Virus by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection.
These positive results were released by Pennsylvania DEP on August 23, 2012 through August 31, 2012. For 2012, two hundred fifty five mosquito collections have tested positive for West Nile Virus in York County. Some samples have had multiple positives. Three dead birds collected in West Manchester Township, Windsor Township and York City have also tested positive.
Additional surveillance and mosquito trapping in the vicinity of these positive samples is being performed as necessary by Penn State Cooperative Extension staff and PA DEP staff.
Certain species of mosquitoes carry West Nile virus, which, when transmitted to people, can cause West Nile encephalitis, an infection that can result in an inflammation of the brain. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, all residents of areas where virus activity has been identified are at risk of getting West Nile encephalitis.
Reducing the risk of mosquito transmitted diseases is easy! All residents, businesses, developers, farmers and municipalities need to be responsible and clean up to help eliminate mosquitoes.
Please inspect your property for sources of stagnant water that can collect in tarps, tires, buckets, construction debris, trash, pools, plastic toys, gutters, watering troughs and birdbaths. Eliminating these sources of stagnant water is the best method to reduce mosquito populations that can transmit West Nile virus.
Additional sources for breeding mosquitoes can be rain barrels and ornamental ponds. Rain barrels need to be completely screened. Ornamental ponds and fountains need to be stocked with fish or treated with a bacterial larvicide available at most hardware stores.
Municipalities also have a responsibility to maintaining stormwater systems so water is does not become stagnant and breed mosquitoes. Catch basins in streets installed to capture other pollutants are found to be a common source breeding mosquitoes throughout York County.
Other issues such as rock pool areas, inlet and outlet structures and open sediment fence posts can be designed and installed properly to prevent water from becoming stagnant.
Forty seven counties in Pennsylvania have now collected mosquito samples testing positive for West Nile. Sixteen confirmed human cases have been reported so far this year in Pennsylvania with one fatality. York County currently ranks second in Pennsylvania for detection of West Nile. As a reminder there have been human cases of West Nile Virus every year in York County since 2002.
Residents in York County are advised to take all steps necessary to protect themselves from biting mosquitoes this holiday weekend.
Recommendations include avoid being outdoors when mosquitoes are active, dress properly by wearing long sleeve shirt and long pants, wear an insect repellent and use an electric fan outside to keep air moving and help keep mosquitoes away.
Thirty seven new mosquito samples recently collected by Penn State Cooperative Extension and Pennsylvania DEP staff in Dillsburg Borough, East Manchester Township, Lower Windsor Township, Manchester Township (6), Monaghan Township, North Codorus Township, Seven Valleys Borough (2), Spring Garden Township (3), Springettsbury Township (6), West Manchester Township and York City (11) have tested positive for West Nile Virus by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection.
These positive results were released by Pennsylvania DEP on August 23, 2012 through August 31, 2012. For 2012, two hundred fifty five mosquito collections have tested positive for West Nile Virus in York County. Some samples have had multiple positives. Three dead birds collected in West Manchester Township, Windsor Township and York City have also tested positive.
Additional surveillance and mosquito trapping in the vicinity of these positive samples is being performed as necessary by Penn State Cooperative Extension staff and PA DEP staff.
Certain species of mosquitoes carry West Nile virus, which, when transmitted to people, can cause West Nile encephalitis, an infection that can result in an inflammation of the brain. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, all residents of areas where virus activity has been identified are at risk of getting West Nile encephalitis.
Reducing the risk of mosquito transmitted diseases is easy! All residents, businesses, developers, farmers and municipalities need to be responsible and clean up to help eliminate mosquitoes.
Please inspect your property for sources of stagnant water that can collect in tarps, tires, buckets, construction debris, trash, pools, plastic toys, gutters, watering troughs and birdbaths. Eliminating these sources of stagnant water is the best method to reduce mosquito populations that can transmit West Nile virus.
Additional sources for breeding mosquitoes can be rain barrels and ornamental ponds. Rain barrels need to be completely screened. Ornamental ponds and fountains need to be stocked with fish or treated with a bacterial larvicide available at most hardware stores.
Municipalities also have a responsibility to maintaining stormwater systems so water is does not become stagnant and breed mosquitoes. Catch basins in streets installed to capture other pollutants are found to be a common source breeding mosquitoes throughout York County.
Other issues such as rock pool areas, inlet and outlet structures and open sediment fence posts can be designed and installed properly to prevent water from becoming stagnant.
Forty seven counties in Pennsylvania have now collected mosquito samples testing positive for West Nile. Sixteen confirmed human cases have been reported so far this year in Pennsylvania with one fatality. York County currently ranks second in Pennsylvania for detection of West Nile. As a reminder there have been human cases of West Nile Virus every year in York County since 2002.