More mosquitos test positive for West Nile Virus in Clark County after additional sampling

CLARK COUNTY — West Nile Virus has been detected in another set of trapped mosquitos in Clark County, health officials confirmed Friday.

The Clark County Combined Health District said the positive samples were found on the southwest side of Springfield and that continued efforts are underway at limiting areas of infected bugs.

Last week, the health district reported two samples tested positive in the South Charleston and Springfield areas.

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Health experts are inspecting the affected areas and working with property owners to reduce breeding sources by draining stagnant water or treating it with products containing Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis.

Additionally, health experts are misting the affected area with Duet to reduce adult mosquito population and distributing informational flyers in the area where infected mosquitos were found, the health district spokesperson said.

West Nile Virus is most commonly spread by infected mosquitos and can lead to severe fever, inflammation of the brain or inflammation of the lining of the brain and spinal cord, the CCCHD spokesperson said.

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However, around 80 percent of people infected will not show any symptoms at all, but there is no way to know in advance if a person will develop an illness after a mosquito bite.

Some more severe symptoms can include high fever, headache, neck stiffness, stupor, disorientation, coma, tremors, convulsions, muscle weakness, vision loss, numbness and paralysis, the spokesperson said. Symptoms develop within three to 14 days of being bit by infected mosquito.

Lesser symptoms include fever, headache, body aches, nausea, vomiting and sometimes swollen lymph glands or a skin rash on the chest, stomach and back. Those symptoms can last a few days or up to several weeks, the spokesperson said.

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