WATCH: What You Need to Know About West Nile Virus
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COLUMBIA, S.C. (WOLO) – Mosquitoes in the Shandon area of Columbia have tested positive for West Nile. Public health officials say it’s not uncommon to find mosquitoes carrying the virus in South Carolina. Their concern is making sure you do what you can to stop the spread.
“We find them in birds, we find them in horses, and humans are sort of an incidental host, and so the fact that they’re present in nature, means there’s always a risk,” State epidemiologist Dr. Linda Bell says mosquito-borne illnesses, like West Nile, can spread rain or shine.
“So there shouldn’t be a big correlation between, well, the days are sunny so it’s not raining, the risk is not there, but in fact, the mosquitos continue to breed until we have a hard freeze,” she said.
DHEC recommends residents pay attention to the most effective ways to prevent mosquito-borne illnesses:
- Apply insect repellent containing DEET, picaridin, oil of lemon eucalyptus, or IR 3535 according to label instructions. Repellents help keep mosquitoes from biting.
- Wear clothing that reduces the risk of skin exposure.
- Exposure to mosquitoes is most common at night and during the early morning. Some species bite during the day, especially in wooded or other shaded areas. Avoid exposure during these times and in these areas.
- Make sure that your doors and windows have tight-fitting screens to keep out mosquitoes.
- Eliminate all sources of standing water on your property, including flowerpots, gutters, buckets, pool covers, birdbaths, old car tires, rain gutters and pet bowls.
So far this year, DHEC has identified multiple cases of West Nile infection in people, including two in Richland County. The county says it’s sprayed an insecticide around Shandon, Rosewood, Five Points and the Vista.
Most people who become infected won’t ever know it, but Bell says one in five can experience symptoms from fever to vomiting, and less than one percent develops a potentially fatal inflammation of the brain.
West Nile starts with a bird. Dead birds can actually help DHEC track West Nile. If you find a dead bird, report it. You’ll find instructions for doing so, here.
