Rock Hill just had a confirmed case of West Nile Virus. Here’s what to do about it

Crews began spraying Monday and Rock Hill residents should be leery of mosquitoes after a human case of West Nile Virus was confirmed in the city, according to York County officials.

The South Carolina Department of Public Health notified the county office of emergency management Friday about the positive test for a Rock Hill resident. West Nile Virus can produce fever, headache, body aches, vomiting, diarrhea or rash, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention .

There’s no vaccine for West Nile Virus. It’s most commonly spread through bites from infected mosquitoes, according to the CDC.

Spraying to kill mosquitoes started at 9 p.m. Monday within a 1-mile radius of Constitution Boulevard, Westerwood Drive and Fargo Street. A truck-mounted sprayer will broadcast a Envion 4-4 liquid which isn’t harmful to people, pets, other insects and gardens, according a York County. Yet people should avoid being in the spray’s path, and beekeepers in the area where spraying will occur are advised to cover their hives Monday night, the county said.

Other measures include eliminating areas of standing water where mosquitoes can breed, using insect repellent, keeping skin covered and closing doors or windows, the county said.

The new case is the first West Nile Virus diagnosis in Rock Hill since Sept. 2020, according to the county.