West Nile Virus detected in Warren County

LEBANON, Ohio – The Warren County Health District (WCHD) has identified a positive sample of West Nile Virus in the county.

The positive sample was identified on Monday but collected on July 18 at Miller Ecological Park in Lebanon.

This is the first positive test of the season in Warren County, according to WCHD.

The Centers for Disease Control says that most people who have West Nile have no symptoms (8 in 10), but 1 in 5 people develop fever, headache, body aches, joint pain, vomiting, diarrhea, or a rash.

Serious symptoms affect 1 in 150 people and may include a serious disease affecting the central nervous system, such as encephalitis (inflammation of the brain) or meningitis (inflammation of the membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord). People over the age of 60 are at greater risk of severe symptoms. Of those who develop these serious diseases, 1 in 10 of these people die, according to the CDC.

What you can do to stay safe: Tips from the Warren County Health District can help prevent mosquito bites and contracting West Nile Virus.

• Use insect repellent containing DEET at a concentration of at least 30%, following label instructions for application
• Wear long sleeves
• Routinely empty the trash
• Make sure doors and windows have tight-fitting screens that are free of tears
• Remove any standing water on your property
• Dispose of any container that may contain water, such as discarded tires, plastic containers, tubs or wheelbarrows
• Make sure gutters drain properly
• Clean and chlorinate swimming pools or hot tubs with water drained from pool covers
• Change the water in birdbaths at least once a week
• Clear ditches of obstructions so they drain

The Warren County Health District said it will continue to treat standing water in public areas with an “environmentally safe larvicide.”