Mosquitoes Test Positive For West Nile Virus In Bedford

Last updated on Wednesday, October 3, 2018

(BEDFORD) - The Lawrence County Health Department reports that mosquitoes collected near the Bedford Wastewater Treatment Plant by the Indiana State Department of Health tested positive for West Nile virus.

The Lawrence County Health Department was notified that two samples of mosquitoes collected on Sept. 14 tested positive for the virus.

Health Department encourages everyone in the county to protect themselves from being bitten by mosquitoes by following these simple steps:

Apply insect repellent containing DEET to clothes and exposed skin
Wear light-colored clothing
Avoid wet, highly vegetative areas where mosquitoes live
avoid being outdoors during prime mosquito biting times - dusk to dawn - when possible

Some simple steps to prevent mosquitoes from breeding are as follows:

Eliminate areas of standing water on your property
Repair failing septic systems.
Remove any containers that will hold water.
Clean your clogged gutters.
Keep grass cut short and shrubbery trimmed. Tall vegetation is an excellent harborage area for mosquitoes
Keep swimming pools chlorinated and clean.

The basic rule is - if water lasts more than 4 days mosquitoes can reproduce. Even a small bucket can produce up to a 1,000 mosquitoes in just a few days.

Some symptoms of West Nile Virus are:

High Fever
Severe Headache
Stiff Neck
Muscle weakness or paralysis
Nausea, vomiting
Confusion

West Nile Virus can also infect our domestic animals like horses. The Virus is very serious and often fatal in horses. It is very important to contact your Veterinarian to get your horse immunized if you haven't already.

1340 AM WBIW welcomes comments and suggestions by calling 812.277.1340 during normal business hours or by email at comments@wbiw.com

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