VISALIA (KMJ) — Health officials in Visalia are warning the public to be careful of West Nile Virus, as mosquitoes carrying the disease have been located in three areas of the city.
The Delta Vector Control District tested mosquito pools for West Nile Virus, and their trap counts are much larger this year than they were in 2016.
“This year it’s a little bit early but they’ve found a lot of different mosquito pools that have West Nile Virus, they’re testing positive, and they tell us that it’s going to be a year where there is a lot of West Nile Virus and that’s because it’s been a very wet winter,” explains Tammie Weyker with Tulare County’s Health and Human Services.
“What we’re telling people is that you need to be careful already. That means that if you’re going out at dawn or dusk you want to make sure you’re wearing appropriate clothing.”
Residents are being encouraged to follow the “Three Ds”:
- DEET: Use repellent containing DEET, picaridin, oil of lemon eucalyptus, or IR3535 according to label instructions.
- DAWN AND DUSK: Wear clothing that covers the arms and legs during the mosquitoes most active hours, which are early in the morning and as the sun is setting in the evening.
- DRAIN: Get rid of all standing water, as that’s where mosquitoes like to lay their eggs.
“Most cases are very mild, therefore they go unreported, to be honest; because the symptoms are fever, fatigue, things like that,” reveals Weyker.
“But if the symptoms move up the scale, it can be a very very serious illness.”
California’s own West Nile Virus website can be found clicking here.
