Summer is underway and that means people are out and about. It would appear the same is true for mosquitoes, with those carrying the West Nile virus being spotted in several states.
It's typical for mosquito activity to peak during summer because conditions are ideal for their population to grow. People are advised then to be vigilant during the season, most especially when many are raring to bare skin to beat the heat.
One of the first states to confirm the presence of West Nile-carrying mosquitoes is Illinois. In the early days of June, state health officials said mosquitoes tested in central Illinois were positive for the virus, marking Decatur as the first area to harbor West Nile mosquitoes for the year.
Next was Michigan. Though the virus was first found in dead birds in early June, it was only a matter of time before mosquitoes contract them from infected birds. Traps have been placed though to capture mosquitoes and test them to officially declare whether or not mosquitoes in the state have been infected by the West Nile virus.
A couple of weeks later, mosquitoes carrying the virus were found in Nuevo, but the California Department of Public Health said that there aren't reports yet of people being infected with West Nile in the state.
South Dakota then reported that the virus has made its way to Meade County, warning residents to take precautions when spending time outdoors. Mosquitoes collected in Washington have also tested positive for the West Nile virus, as well as Nebraska and Idaho.
One of the latest to report West Nile-positive mosquitoes is New York. The state detected mosquitoes carrying the virus in Queens and Staten Island, prompting it to set up more traps and treat affected areas with larvicide to prevent the number of infected mosquitoes from growing.
The West Nile virus was first reported in 1999 in North Africa, but has been detected earlier in Australia, parts of Asia, Africa, India, the Middle East and Europe. Anyone living within an area where the virus has been detected is at risk so those in Illinois, California, South Dakota, Washington, Nebraska, Idaho and New York should do all they can to avoid getting bit by West Nile-positive mosquitoes.
An infection has an incubation period of 2 to 14 days but people can get sick within just 2 to 6 days. Most people will not manifest symptoms though, with just 1 out of 5 developing fevers with joint pains, rashes, diarrhea, vomiting, body aches and headaches. There is no vaccine to protect against the West Nile virus.
Photo: John Tann | Flickr
