By The St. Clair County Health Department
The St. Clair County Health Department (SCCHD) has continued its seasonal surveillance program for mosquito-borne diseases. In June, evidence of West Nile Virus (WNV) was detected by the SCCHD Environmental Health Division during routine sampling activities. Recently, WNV was detected again in multiple mosquito pools in the 48022-zip code area. Pools of mosquitoes are collected and tested from several sites across the county. At this time, there continues to be no reported human cases in St. Clair County.
WNV is transmitted to people through bites from infected mosquitoes. About 1 in 5 individuals infected develop symptoms such as headache, body aches, joint pains, and fatigue. In rare cases, WNV can lead to severe neurological complications and death, especially among older adults and individuals with weakened immune systems. There is no vaccine or specific treatment for WNV.
“Surveillance is conducted from June to August, however mosquitoes can stay active until the first heavy frost” said Alicia Hawkins, Environmental Health Sanitarian at the St. Clair County Health Department. “The best way to prevent West Nile is to protect yourself from mosquito bites.”
Recommended prevention measures:
- Apply insect repellents that contain the active ingredient DEET or other EPA-approved products on exposed skin and clothing. Always follow the manufacturer’s directions for use.
- Wear light-colored, long-sleeved shirts and long pants when outdoors.
- Maintain window and door screening to help keep mosquitoes outside.
- Empty water from breeding sites around the home, such as buckets, unused swimming pools, old tires and other water-holding containers where mosquitoes can lay eggs.
For more information, visit www.scchealth.co or contact the Environmental Health Division at (810) 987-5306. Follow us on social media @scchdmi.