HEALTH ALERT: West Nile Virus Found in Dubois County, Health Officials Warn

FROM LOCAL SOURCES

JASPER -- The Dubois County Health Department is warning residents to use caution after a sample of mosquitoes tested positive for West Nile Virus.

Officials haven’t said where the positive mosquitoes were located, but they did say they were found in Dubois County.

Health officials encourage 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 and avoid being outdoors during prime mosquito biting times, dusk to dawn, when possible.

You can also take simple steps to prevent mosquitoes from breeding.

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;