West Nile found in mosquitoes in Huntingburg

ByMatthew Crane Reading Time: 3 minutes
Brad Meyer dipping for mosquito larvae at a drainage ditch off of 19th Street in Huntingburg.

The Dubois County Health Department issued an alert today that a sample of mosquitoes tested positive for West Nile Virus in the Huntingburg area.

“West Nile is carried by birds and is transferred to mosquitoes when they bite a bird and then if the mosquito happens to bite a person it can be transferred,” Shawn Werner of the Dubois County Health Department stated.

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West Nile can become more prevalent in Indiana in the late summer early fall when mosquito populations are at their highest. Populations drop off when cooler weather creeps into the area.

“The temperature needs to be below 60 degrees to slow the mosquitoes down,” Werner explained.

Besides humans the virus is especially dangerous for horses. When the virus was first found in the area in early 2000 there were reports of horses dying in Dubois and Davies Counties. There is a vaccination for horses that is very effective against West Nile, however no vaccine for humans is available at this time.

Huntingburg is taking steps to lower the threat to its citizens. According to Janet Kemp, Brad Meyer with the Street Department is going to any standing body of water that can’t be drained and applying a pesticide to kill mosquito larvae.

“Any container of water should be dumped if possible,” Kemp stated. “Even a small kid’s toy can produce thousands of mosquitoes in a couple of days.”

West Nile found in Huntingburg mosquito samples.

The city has the Code Enforcement Officer and even the meter readers looking for standing water that can be emptied.

In addition to treating for mosquito larvae, Huntingburg is petitioning other municipalities for a fogger to kill adult mosquitoes. “We are aggressively addressing the issue to keep the residents safe in Huntingburg,” Kemp said.

The Dubois County Health Department encourages everyone in the county to protect themselves from being bitten by mosquitoes by following these simple steps: apply insect repellent containing DEET to clothes and exposed skin; wear light colored clothes; avoid wet, highly vegetative areas where mosquitoes live; and avoid being outdoors during prime mosquito biting times, dusk to dawn, when possible.

 

Some simple steps to prevent mosquitoes from breeding are as follows:

  • Eliminate areas of standing water of your property
  • Repair failing septic systems
  • Remove any containers that will hold water
  • Clean your clogged gutters
  • Keep grass cut short and shrubbery trimmed. Tall vegetation is an excellent harborage area for mosquitoes
  • Keep swimming pools chlorinated and clean

The basic rule is; if water lasts more than 4 days mosquitoes can reproduce. Evan a small bucket can produce up to 1,000 mosquitoes in just a few days.

Some symptoms of West Nile Virus are:

  • High Fever
  • Severe Headache
  • Stiff Neck
  • Muscle weakness or paralysis
  • Nausea, vomiting
  • Confusion
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