Central Ohioans cautioned of mosquitoes carrying West Nile virus

FRANKLIN COUNTY, Ohio ( WCMH ) — Mosquitoes in central Ohio have tested positive for West Nile virus over the past few weeks.

There are no human cases in Ohio at this time, and Franklin County Public Health is working to keep it that way.

Zach Holbert-Watson is the Vector Program Coordinator for Franklin County Public Health. They said people should be aware of mosquitoes carrying the virus in the area, but don’t need to be worried. Holbert-Watson said they always see the highest number of infected mosquitoes right around late August.

“Our data this year is looking pretty average,” Holbert-Watson said. “We’re seeing kind of a typical number of mosquitoes and also the infection rates are in line with what we would expect.”

Franklin County Public Health was out spraying mosquitoes on Thursday evening in Dublin, New Albany, Gahanna and Plain Township. Spraying kills mosquitoes in the hopes of preventing the spread of West Nile Virus to humans.

Holbert-Watson said some symptoms of the virus include fever, nausea, headaches and a rash, which are all signs of other common illnesses.

“If you’re feeling ill in the middle of the summer, it’s not a bad idea to reach out to your healthcare provider and explain to them that you are experiencing some symptoms,” Holbert-Watson said. “It’s possible it could be West Nile virus.”

The best way to avoid getting West Nile virus is to stay away from areas with mosquitoes. But if you are out at night, there are some preventative measures you can take.

“Wear long sleeves and pants to help cover up your skin to prevent them from getting at you,” Holbert-Watson said. “If you can avoid being in areas where there are a lot of mosquitoes when they’re most active at dawn and dusk, that’s also great. And you should always wear insect repellants.”

Also keep in mind that mosquitoes breed in standing water. Holbert-Watson recommends people go around their homes and yards once a week to dump out all the water. People may find standing water in tires, buckets, bird baths, pet bowls and clogged gutters.

For more information about mosquitoes, West Nile virus, spraying around the county and other related topics, check out https://mosquito.myfcph.org/ .

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