Mosquitoes in Louisville test positive for West Nile Virus – WLKY Louisville

LOUISVILLE, Ky. —

Louisville’s health department is issuing a warning after mosquitoes infected with the West Nile virus were found in more than one ZIP code.

According to the Department of Public Health and Wellness, the mosquitoes were discovered in surveillance traps in these areas: 40205, 40212, 40214 and 40215.

Connie Mendel, assistant director of the Louisville Metro Department of Public Health and Wellness, said while find mosquitoes with West Nile is not uncommon this type of year, people should take appropriate precautions while outdoors.

For instance, people are advised to wear insect repellent and remove standing water around homes.

Here are some more tips from the department:

Avoid Mosquito Bites

• Use insect repellents when you go outdoors. Repellents containing DEET, picaridin, IR3535, and some oil of lemon eucalyptus and para-menthane-diol products provide longer-lasting protection. To optimize safety and effectiveness, repellents should be used according to the label instructions. More information about insect repellents can be found here.
• When weather permits, wear long sleeves, long pants and socks when outdoors. Mosquitoes may bite through thin clothing, so spraying clothes with repellent containing permethrin or another EPA-registered repellent will give extra protection. Don’t apply repellents containing permethrin directly to skin. Do not spray repellent on the skin under your clothing.
• Take extra care during peak mosquito biting hours of early morning and dusk. Take extra care to use repellent and protective clothing from dusk to dawn or consider avoiding outdoor activities during these times.

Mosquito-Proof Your Home

• Install or repair screens on windows and doors to keep mosquitoes outside.
• Help reduce the number of mosquitos around your home by emptying standing water from flowerpots, gutters, buckets, pool covers, pet water dishes, discarded tires and drain birdbaths on a regular basis.

No human cases of West Nile have been reported in Louisville so far this year. Here is data from previous years:

• 2020 – 0 human cases, 0 deaths
• 2019 – 2 human cases, 1 death
• 2018 – 6 human cases, 0 deaths
• 2017 – 2 human cases, 0 deaths
• 2016 – 6 human cases, 1 death

According to the health department, in most instances, people infected with West Nile virus either show no symptoms or relatively mild symptoms.

However, less than 1% of infected people develop a serious neurologic illness such as encephalitis or meningitis.

Serious illness can occur in people of any age, but people over 60 years of age are at the greatest risk for severe disease. People with certain medical conditions, such as cancer, diabetes, hypertension, kidney disease and people who have received organ transplants, are also at greater risk for serious illness.

The Louisville Metro Department of Public Health and Wellness has operated a mosquito control program for more than 60 years. The department does surveillance of mosquito populations with traps strategically located throughout the community, and tests mosquitoes for such diseases as West Nile, La Crosse, Eastern Equine and St. Louis Encephalitis.

In the spring the department pre-treats potential mosquito breeding sites with larvicide to prevent hatch-offs. In the summer, it treats catch basins and performs mosquito fogging in response to West Nile virus and other mosquito-borne diseases.

Mosquito fogging will take place on Thursday, Aug. 12, in these areas weather permitting Churchill Downs, Portland, the Highlands, Iroquois.

Fogging occurs in the early morning or early evening hours.

To check if your area has been fogged or will be fogged call the mosquito hotline, 574-6641, or visit the department’s website. To make a complaint about mosquitos in your neighborhood call Metro Call at 311 or 574-5000.