Stafford County reminds individuals to protect themselves and their families against the threat of West Nile Virus by ensuring that there are no areas around their homes where mosquitoes can breed and using mosquito repellants when they are outdoors.  

Stafford is a member of the Rappahannock Regional Health District’s Regional West Nile Virus Task Force. The task force was formed by the Health District in 2003 to monitor the disease and educate individuals about the steps they can take to avoid the virus. The group’s ongoing campaign focuses on the slogan “Flip It! Dump It! Kick It!” to remind citizens that the mosquitoes that transmit West Nile Virus breed in containers that hold water for more than a few days. Female mosquitoes, which transmit the virus to humans and animals, need only a few tablespoons of water to deposit from 150 to 500 eggs at a time.

West Nile Virus is a serious and potentially fatal illness, especially in people over 50, and it only takes a single bite from an infected female mosquito to transmit the virus. In Virginia in 2006, there were five confirmed cases of West Nile Virus in humans, and one death.     

There are simple things that individuals can do around their homes to prevent mosquitoes from breeding, such as emptying items and clearing debris at least once a week. Following is a list of items that should be kept clean and free of water:

·        Children’s toys and wading pools

·        Potted plant trays, flower pots and birdbaths

·        Garbage cans

·        Outdoor pet food and water dishes

·        Rain gutters and downspouts

·        Boats, kayaks and canoes

·        Buckets, wheelbarrows, and outdoor garbage cans and their lids

·        Discarded tires – drill holes in tires used for playground equipment

Homeowners should clean leaves and other rubbish from culverts and drainage ditches, and fill in low spots on their property with soil or sand. If draining an area is not possible, use “mosquito dunks” or other larvicides available in hardware stores and home improvement centers. Repair tears in screens on doors and windows. Swimming pools should be cleaned and chlorinated regularly, and garden ponds where mosquitoes commonly lay their eggs should be aerated or stocked with mosquito-eating fish.

The best way to avoid West Nile Virus is to prevent mosquito bites. Individuals should observe the following precautions when they are outdoors:

·        Stay indoors at dawn and during early evening hours when mosquitoes are biting.

·        Use yellow “bug lights” for outdoor lighting.

·        Use insect repellants containing DEET, picaridin or oil of lemon eucalyptus.

·        When using repellant on a child, apply it to your hands and rub them on the child. Avoid children’s eyes and mouths, and do not apply it to their hands since they tend to put their fingers in their mouths.

·        Reapply repellants when you are sweating or after swimming.

·        Be sure to carefully follow label directions when applying repellants.

Clothing can help prevent mosquito bites. Wear light-colored, long-sleeved shirts, pants and socks when outdoors. Because mosquitoes may bite through thin clothing, spray the material with repellent containing permethrin or similar EPA-registered repellent for extra protection. Permethrin-based products may also be used on shoes and camping gear. Don’t apply repellents containing permethrin directly to bare skin or use under clothing. 

Most people bitten by a mosquito infected with West Nile Virus do not get sick. Mild symptoms include fever, headache, body aches, a possible skin rash and swollen lymph glands. In more serious cases, infection may spread to the nervous system or bloodstream and may result in encephalitis or meningitis. There is no vaccine for West Nile Virus.  

The Stafford Public Information Office has a flyer in Spanish and English with tips about how to avoid being bitten by mosquitoes and ways to reduce breeding sites around homes. Interested individuals may call the office at (540) 658-4159 for copies or for more information. The brochures may also be picked up at the reception desk at the Stafford Administration Center, located at 1300 Courthouse Road. Additional information about West Nile Virus is available on the Virginia Department of Health’s Web site at http://www.vdh.state.va.us and from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention online at http://www.cdc.gov.

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