Grant County reports uptick in West Nile virus

At least 42 mosquitoes have tested positive for West Nile virus this season in Grant County, an uptick from the 34 positive samples collected during last year’s mosquito season, according to the Grant County Health District. Grant County is one of four Washington counties reporting West Nile-infected mosquitoes. Benton County reported 14, Franklin County reported 3, and Yakima County reported only 1. Spokane County, as usual, is reporting low levels of West Nile activity. “In a nutshell, we’re low, especially compared to the Tri-Cities and the Yakima Valley,” said Steve Main, a technical adviser for the Spokane Regional Health District’s zoonotic disease program. While Spokane rarely has cases of West Nile virus, Main gave some simple advice to keep mosquitoes at bay. “Basically it’s as simple as emptying standing water on your property,” he said. “If the mosquitoes don’t have a place to breed, they’re not going to stick around an area.” Mosquitoes breed in swamps, lakes and streams, but they’re especially drawn to small bodies of water like kiddy pools, bird baths and puddles on outdoor furniture, Main said. He recommends draining these a couple times a week. He also recommends staying indoors around dawn and dusk, when mosquitoes are most active; using mosquito repellents and following the instructions on the bottle; wearing long sleeves, long pants and hats when exploring wetlands or wooded areas; and repairing or replacing screens to make sure they’re “bug tight.” There’s no vaccine for West Nile virus, but Main said very few mosquito-bite victims suffer symptoms. “It’s a very low percentage of people who get any kind of symptoms at all,” he said. More tips for keeping bugs at bay can be found on the Spokane Regional Health District’s website.