LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Two Louisville neighborhoods were recently fogged for mosquito after mosquitos infected with West Nile Virus were found in those areas.
The health department will be conducting mosquito control in the Crescent Hill and Iroquois areas, according to a social media post from the Louisville Metro Department of Public Health & Wellness (LMPHW).
So far, the health department have fogged neighborhoods eight times in Jefferson County where mosquitos infected with West Nile Virus were found.
So far, there are no reports of people in Louisville being infected with West Nile virus.
Mosquitoes infected with west Nile Virus were also found last month in nearby Floyd County, Ind. No human cases were confirmed.
Although there are no vaccines or medicines to prevent the virus, the best way to prevent it is by protecting oneself from mosquito bites. The Centers for Disease Control says the best ways to prevent bites include using insect repellent, wearing long-sleeved clothing and taking steps to control mosquitos indoors and out.
Another way to prevent West Nile from spreading is to prevent mosquito breeding grounds. The CDC suggests installing or repairing screens on windows and doors to keep mosquitos outside and emptying standing water where mosquitos can lay eggs from around one’s property. Standing water sources typically include gutters, pool covers, plant pots, discarded tires, birdbaths and pet water dishes, among other things.
The incubation period for West Nile is typically 2-14 days but can be longer in some cases. Symptoms of the virus include headache, weakness, myalgia or arthralgia. In most cases, those infected with the virus show no symptoms or mild symptoms, but less than 1% of infected people develop more drastic symptoms, which are meningitis, encephalitis or acute flaccid myelitis, according to the CDC.
