A Public Health Advisory has been declared after a mosquito pool in St. Joseph County has tested positive for the West Nile Virus.
The infected mosquitos were found in Portage Township. West Nile can cause flu-like symptoms, and the mosquitos that carry it are likely to remain active until the first hard frost.
The health department has a number of recommendations to protect yourself and your family from mosquitoes:
• Avoid being outdoors during prime mosquito biting times, which are dusk and dawn, when possible.
• Apply an EPA-registered insect repellent containing DEET, picaridin, IR3535, oil of lemon eucalyptus, or para-menthane diol to clothes and exposed skin.
• Wear a hat, long sleeves, and long pants to cover exposed skin in places where mosquitoes are especially active, such as wooded areas.
• Treat clothing and outdoor gear with 0.5% permethrin if camping or spending extended periods of time outdoors.
• Make sure all windows and doors have screens and that all screens are in good condition.
• Reduce mosquito breeding on and around your property.
To reduce mosquito breeding, homeowners can take these actions:
• Get rid of old tires, tin cans, or other containers that can hold water. Even a small bucket with stagnant water can become home to up to 1,000 mosquitoes.
• Tip bird baths, flowerpots, and other water-holding containers weekly and refill with clean water.
• Repair failed septic systems.
• Keep rain barrels covered with wire mesh that is smaller than adult mosquitoes.
• Clean roof gutters (roof gutters alone can produce millions of mosquitoes each season).
• Keep swimming pools clean and chlorinated.
• Drain and fill stagnant pools, puddles, ditches, or swampy places around the home and property.
The St. Joseph County Department of Health does treat for mosquitoes, including spraying when public health threats are detected.
To find out more information, please visit the St. Joseph County Department of Health’s website at: https://www.in.gov/localhealth/stjosephcounty/environmental-health/pests-andvectors/
