News Release

WABASH — Officials with the Wabash County Health Department reported that a pool of mosquitoes collected on Monday, July 24, tested positive for West Nile virus. This is the first reported case of West Nile virus activity in 2023 for Wabash County.

West Nile virus is transmitted to human by mosquitoes that have first bitten an infected bird. A person bitten by an infected mosquito may show symptoms three to 15 days after the bite. State health officials say that in previous years, most human cases of West Nile virus were reported between mid-July and mid-September.

The virus usually results in a mild illness known as West Nile fever, which can cause fever, headache, body aches, swollen lymph glands, or a rash. However, a small number of individuals can develop a more severe form of the disease with encephalitis or meningitis and other neurological syndromes, including flaccid muscle paralysis.

The health department recommends that local residents take the following protective steps when outdoors:

• Avoid being outdoors during prime mosquito biting times of dusk to dawn.
• Apply insect repellent containing DEET, picaradin, or oil of lemon eucalyptus to clothes and exposed skin.
• Wear long-sleeved shirts and pants while in areas where mosquitoes are biting.
• Make sure repellents are EPA registered.

The health department is also asking residents to take steps to rid their properties of potential mosquito breeding grounds by:

• Repairing failed septic systems.
• Drilling holes in the bottom of recycling containers that are left outdoors.
• Keep grass cut short and shrubbery trimmed.
• Disposing of old tires, tin cans, plastic containers, ceramic pots or other unused containers that can hold water.
• Cleaning clogged roof gutters, particularly if leaves tend to plug up the drains.

Health officials report that although individuals over age 50 are at greatest risk for serious illness and even death from West Nile virus, people of all ages have been infected with the virus and have had severe disease.