County Health officials urge West Nile Virus prevention

Logan County Health Department officials encourage Logan County residents to take precautions to reduce the risk of contracting West Nile virus (WNV), a mosquito-borne illness. 

Summertime typically marks the beginning of the high risk period for exposure to WNV in Oklahoma, with outdoor activities providing opportunities for encountering WNV-infected mosquitoes. “We want to remind everyone to use insect repellent when outdoors and mosquito-proof their home and yard,” said Logan County Health Department Administrative Director Jay Smith.

 The Logan County Health Department provides larvicidal briquettes, commonly called “mosquito dunks”, to the public.  The briquettes are deposited in standing water and provide an eco-friendly method of mosquito control. The active ingredient in the briquettes works by killing mosquito larvae before they are able to develop into adult, biting mosquitoes.

 Among the precautions to take against mosquito bites are the following:

 ·         Use an insect repellent containing DEET on exposed skin and clothing when you go outdoors, particularly if you are outside between dusk and dawn when WNV-infected mosquitoes are more likely to bite. (Insect repellent with permethrin should be used on clothing only.)

·         Repair or install window and door screens to keep mosquitoes out of your home.

·         Prevent items such as buckets, cans, pool covers, flower pots, and tires from holding standing water so mosquitoes don’t have a place to breed.

·         Empty your pet’s outdoor water bowl and refill daily.

·         Clean leaves and debris from rain gutters regularly to ensure they are not clogged.

 WNV is spread through the bite of the Culex mosquito, which feeds on infected birds and then transmits the virus when biting humans, horses, and some other mammals. Symptoms of WNV include sudden onset of fever, headache, dizziness, and muscle weakness. Long-lasting complications can include difficulty concentrating, migraine headaches, extreme muscle weakness and tremors, and paralysis of a limb. If one or more of these symptoms develop, especially after suffering mosquito bites within the previous two weeks, a health care provider should be contacted. Persons over the age of 50 are at greatest risk of developing severe neurologic disease from WNV infection. Some of the neurological effects of WNV may be permanent or fatal.

 For more information, contact the Logan County Health Department at 405-282-3485, or visit the Oklahoma State Department of Health’s WNV website at http://go.usa.gov/wpz.