Health department confirms 1 case of West Nile virus in Collier County

Credit: WINK News.

Florida Department of Health in Collier County says an individual in the county has contracted West Nile virus after it previously issued an advisory for an increase in mosquito-borne illness in the area.

According to the press release, there is a raised concern more people will get sick. Collier Mosquito Control District and DOH-Collier will continue surveillance and prevention efforts.

Sept. 14, DOH-Collier confirmed there was an increase in mosquito-borne disease activity after several mosquito pools tested positive for West Nile virus infection.

According to DOH-Collier, residents and visitors should do their best to avoid being bitten by mosquitoes and to take basic precautions to help limit exposure.

DRAIN standing water to stop mosquitoes from multiplying.

Drain water from garbage cans, house gutters, buckets, pool covers, coolers, toys,
flower pots or any other containers where sprinkler or rain water has collected
Discard old tires, drums, bottles, cans, pots and pans, broken appliances and other
items that aren’t being used
Empty and clean birdbaths and pet’s water bowls at least once or twice a week
Protect boats and vehicles from rain with tarps that don’t accumulate water
Maintain swimming pools in good condition and appropriately chlorinated. Empty
plastic swimming pools when not in use

COVER skin with clothing or repellent.

Clothing – Wear shoes, socks, and long pants and long-sleeves. This type of
protection may be necessary for people who must work in areas where
mosquitoes are present
Repellent – Apply mosquito repellent to bare skin and clothing.
always use repellents according to the label. Repellents with DEET,
picaridin, oil of lemon eucalyptus, para-menthane-diol, 2-undecanone and
IR3535 are effective
Use mosquito netting to protect children younger than 2 months old.

Tips on Repellent Use

Always read label directions carefully for the approved usage before you apply a
repellent. Some repellents are not suitable for children
Products with concentrations of up to 30 percent DEET (N, N-diethyl-mtoluamide) are generally recommended. Other U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency-approved repellents contain picaridin, oil of lemon eucalyptus, paramenthane-diol, 2-undecanone or IR3535. These products are generally available
at local pharmacies. Look for active ingredients to be listed on the product label.
Apply insect repellent to exposed skin, or onto clothing, but not under clothing.
In protecting children, read label instructions to be sure the repellent is ageappropriate. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC),
mosquito repellents containing oil of lemon eucalyptus or para-menthane-diol
should not be used on children under the age of three years. DEET is not
recommended on children younger than two months old
Avoid applying repellents to the hands of children. Adults should apply repellent
first to their own hands and then transfer it to the child’s skin and clothing.
If additional protection is necessary, apply a permethrin repellent directly to your
clothing. Again, always follow the manufacturer’s directions