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Mosquitoes carrying West Nile virus have been found in St. Joseph County. Health department officials found the infected mosquitoes on the east side of South Bend, though they did not specify exact location.
So, does this mean we're all going to get the disease?
In the last two days, two people (one each in Michigan and Indiana) have died from West Nile. No one in St. Joseph County has been affected so far this year, but we're entering the worst season for it … Fall.
Should we be living in fear?
“I think people feel a sense of helplessness because it’s a simple mosquito bite," said Dr. Jesse Hsieh with the South Bend Clinic.
People may think they know the ins-and-outs of getting West Nile, but do they?
- Children are more likely to get the disease than adults. MYTH
"The truth is people over 50 are more at risk for getting West Nile,” Hsieh said. But why? “Relatively few children have been reported with it, it's a statistical thing," he said.
When it comes to West Nile, mosquitoes are definitely our enemies.
- West Nile virus is always fatal to humans. MYTH
According to the Centers For Disease Control and Prevention, 80 percent of people who contract West Nile virus see zero symptoms. That means 4 out of 5 people don't even know they've been bitten by an infected bug.
The other 20 percent get a mild sickness: Headaches, fever, swollen lymph nodes and body aches that last a few days. Only 1 in 150 people with the West Nile virus actually develop a serious illness and Hsieh said you'll know when that hits … it’s called encephalitis.
"You have high fever neck stiffness, headaches, disorientation, seizures, paralysis, these are symptoms you’re not going to ignore," he said.
- To prevent a bite, people use mosquito repellent to ward off the enemy. Using repellent with DEET isn't safe. MYTH Hseih said follow manufacturer directions on repellent with DEET for safe use.
Tips to prevent mosquitoes from coming your way:
- Wear long sleeve shirts and pants sprayed those with repellent.
- Make sure your windows and doors have screens.
- Dusk-to-dawn are the worst times to be outside.
- Get rid of standing water near your home. That's where mosquitoes breed.
- Replace water in bird baths, pet bowls, or pools frequently to get rid of a contaminated water source.
- Repair failed septic systems.
- Keep grass cut short and shrubbery trimmed.
- Clean clogged roof gutters, particularly if leaves tend to plug up the drains (roof gutters are easily overlooked but can produce millions of mosquitoes each season).
- Frequently replace the water in pet bowls.
- Turn over plastic wading pools when not in use (a wading pool becomes a mosquito producer if it is not used on a regular basis).
- Remember - mosquitoes will develop in any puddle that lasts for more than four days!
For more information about West Nile Virus, call the St. Joseph County Health Department at 574-235-9573.