Mosquitos With West Nile Virus Found In Mullica

With all the wet weather, spraying for mosquitos is not advisable even though more mosquito samples have tested positive for West Nile Virus in Mullica and Hamilton townships and in Hammonton, according to the Atlantic County Division of Public Health.

State health officials have confirmed four human cases of West Nile Virus in 2018, most recently in a Cape May County resident. Other cases involved elderly people in Essex, Hudson and Hunterdon counties.

Previous positive mosquito samples have been collected from the same area of Hammonton, and in Linwood, Northfield and Pleasantville, and the county continues to conduct outreach and education in those areas, county spokeswoman Linda Gilmore said.

The results were confirmed on Sept. 7 from samples taken in a rural area of Mullica Township far from any residences, near the Green Bank bridge; and in Lake Lenape West park in Hamilton Township.

In Hammonton they were found in the vicinity of Mill Run Drive and Horton Street, where positive samples were previously found.

Additional ground sprays to kill mosquitoes will be scheduled as soon as the weather permits, according to the county’s Office of Mosquito Control.

West Nile Virus is carried by infected mosquitoes and can be transmitted to birds, animals and humans. Most infected humans will not develop symptoms, according to the Centers for Disease Control, but those who do may experience a fever, headache and body aches, vomiting, diarrhea or rash.

It's important to keep emptying outdoor containers -- from small flower pots and buckets to larger bird baths and trash cans -- of any standing water to prevent mosquito breeding, and to use insect repellent when going outdoors, Gilmore said.

It's also important to clean out clogged gutters and keep window and door screens repaired.

Visit the Atlantic County Web site at: aclink.org/publichealth or call the Division of Public Health at 609-645-5971 for more information. For assistance in removing stagnant puddles or floodwater from your property, call the Office of Mosquito Control at 609-645-5948.

https://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/news/breaking/more-mosquitos-positive-for-west-nile-in-mullica-hamilton-hammonton/article_2103579e-e42b-57f8-ae14-1295f26abd2f.html