Dubois County has collected its first positive sample of West Nile Virus this season.
To help keep yourself and others around you safe, the Dubois County Health Department is recommending residents to take these steps:
-apply insect repellent containing DEET to clothes and exposed skin
-wear light-colored clothing
-avoid wet, highly vegetative areas
-avoid being outdoors during prime mosquito biting times, dusk to dawn, when possible.
There are also steps that you can take on your own property to prevent mosquitos from breeding:
-remove standing water from areas on your property
-repair failing septic systems
-remove any containers that will hold water
-clean your clogged gutters
-keep grass and shrubbery trimmed
-keep swimming pools chlorinated and clean
-The basic rule is; if water lasts more than 4 days mosquitoes can reproduce. Even a small bucket can produce up to 1,000 mosquitoes in just a few days.
If bitten by a mosquito, health officials say to look for these symptoms of the West Nile Virus:
-high fever
-severe headache
-stiff neck
-muscle weakness or paralysis
-nausea or vomiting
-confusion
The virus can also infect domesticated animals. The virus is very serious and is often fatal in horses. Contact our veterinarian to get your horse vaccinated if you haven’t already.
For more information, visit cdc.gov/westnile
