First West Nile virus case recorded in St. Louis County this year

ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo. – St. Louis County has recorded its first case of West Nile virus, the county’s health department said on Wednesday.

The St. Louis County Department of Public Health said the initial positive result occurred in Vinita Park, but West Nile virus can occur anywhere in the county and elsewhere in the summer months.

The virus is spread through the bite of a mosquito that has been feeding on an infected bird.

You can reduce your risk of exposure by staying indoors when mosquitoes are most active, eliminating sources of standing water (clogged gutters, pool covers, potted plants, birdbaths, and tire swings), and keeping doors and windows shut in the evening.

Health officials say using insect repellents that contain 20% – 50% DEET or Picaridin, wearing light-colored clothes, and covering exposed skin can also protect against mosquitoes and the diseases they carry. You can also treat birdbaths, ponds, and other water sources that cannot be drained with products containing Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis (Bti).

The elderly are more at risk of getting sick because their immune system is often weaker. People with chronic illnesses like cancer, diabetes, hypertension, and kidney disease are also at risk.

The CDC says that most people infected with West Nile virus do not develop any symptoms. About 1 in 5 people who are infected develop a fever with other symptoms such as a headache, body aches, joint pains, vomiting, diarrhea, or rash. Serious illness, such as encephalitis and meningitis, is possible.

About 1 in 150 infected people will develop a serious, sometimes fatal, illness.

To find out where the county will be spraying, call 314-615-4284. To report mosquito activity, visit csportal.stlouiscountymo.gov/disposition/147 .

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