MOSQUITO PROGRAM
Why are we spraying?
One of the main incentives that motivate us to spray is the elimination of the mosquito that transmits the West Nile Virus. The virus causes flu like symptoms that in a small percentage of the population can lead to very serious complications. People who have symptoms – including high fever, headache, muscle aches, vomiting and loss of appetite – two to 15 days after a mosquito bite should see their doctor and tell him or her about the encounter.
What about dead birds?
The West Nile Virus is also found in horses and birds and they are the carriers from which the mosquitoes pick up the disease organism. At the present time, the Perry County Health Department is accepting dead birds that we send to the testing laboratories in Columbus to check for the virus. If you find a relatively recently dead bird, place it in a plastic bag and bring it to the health department. You need not be concerned about contracting West Nile Disease from the dead bird. It is only transmittable to humans by a specific species of mosquito.
How can I protect my family and myself?
The best advice is to protect you from mosquito bites. That can be tough to do, however, mosquito bites are the only way that the West Nile Virus is transmitted. It cannot be passed from one person to another. It has been shown that spraying programs such as that which we are conducting can significantly reduce the mosquito population in a sprayed area. Our program also includes the application of larvicides that reduces the mosquito larva population.