WAYNE – Due to a recent pool of mosquitos being tested positive for West Nile Virus (WNV) this past weekend, the Northeast Nebraska Public Health Department (NNPHD) is alerting the public.
According to a release from the Department, Districts of Cedar, Dixon, Thurston and Wayne Counties for the 2018 season are being warned. West Nile Virus is present in northeast Nebraska.
Mosquitos are most active between dusk and dawn when the air is calm, but some will feed at any time of day.
Mild cases of WNV infection may include a slight fever and/or headache. Severe cases include a rapid onset of a high fever, head and body aches and usually occur 5-15 days after being bitten by a mosquito infected with West Nile. Go to your doctor if you have these symptoms during mosquito season (June – September).
To prevent mosquito bites and the spread of West Nile Virus:
Apply a mosquito repellent approved by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) whenever you go outdoors. This includes repellents with DEET, Picaridin, Oil of lemon Eucalyptus (OLE) or para-menthane-diol (PMD), IR3535 and 2-undecanone. Follow directions when applying repellent on children. Do not use insect repellent on babies younger than two months. Oil of lemon eucalyptus or para-menthane-diol should not be used on children under three years of age.
Wear long sleeves and pants when outdoors to limit skin exposure; remove standing water where mosquitos breed: bird baths, old tires, clogged roof gutters or wading pools and vaccinate horses.
Attention: person at highest risk for serious WNV illness are:
Over 50 years old and on steroid medicines or chemotherapy.
Healthy children and adults are at a lower risk but can still be come ill.
Stop by the NNPHD office at 215 North Pearl Street in Wayne for free DEET insect repellent wipes or call their office at 402-375-2200 with any questions. More information can also be found at www.nnphd.org under the “Our Services” tab or www.cdc.gov/westnile.
