First West Nile Virus of the Year Detected in Davison County

According to South Dakota epidemiologist Lon Kightlinger the first case of West Nile virus this summer has now been detected.  Davison County is the location where a patient over age 60 tested positive for the virus.

Kightlinger says although most who have the virus have mild flu-like symptoms, certain patients can become gravely ill, including the possibility of death. To lesson your chances of contact with mosquitoes that could carry the virus, Kightlinger has several suggestions:

• Apply mosquito repellents (DEET, picaridin, oil of lemon eucalyptus or IR3535) to clothes and exposed skin. Limit exposure by wearing pants and long sleeves in the evening.
• Limit time outdoors from dusk to dawn when Culex mosquitoes, the primary carrier of WNV in South Dakota, are most active.
• Get rid of standing water that gives mosquitoes a place to breed. Regularly change water in bird baths, outside pet dishes, and drain water from flower pots and garden containers.
• Support local mosquito control efforts.

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