Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
Margaret Joseph, public relations director for the Indiana State Department of Health, confirmed this morning there is a "probable" case of the West Nile virus in Kosciusko County.
She could not provide any further information on the person because of patient confidentiality. The Kosciusko County Health Department had no further information. However, Joseph did say there are approximately 126 probable or confirmed cases of the virus in Indiana.
There are three types of cases of the virus. The first is "suspected," when a doctor thinks his patient may have the virus. The second type is "probable" when two tests have been given to a person suspected of having the virus and both tests return positive. The third is "confirmed," when the Centers for Disease Control test the person's blood and the test returns positive. However, Joseph said, the CDC is backed up in its testing.
A crow was collected in Plain Township Aug. 26 that tested positive for the West Nile virus. After one bird is tested positive in a county for the virus, no other birds are tested because the county assumes it's also in other birds in the county. Once the state department gets a positive test result in a county, they do not test birds further. Any more dead birds found should be disposed of properly.
While it was only a matter of time before a person contracted the virus, Joseph said, "we would hope no one would get it." If everyone takes the precautions recommended by the health department, most cases of the West Nile virus can be prevented.
Hoosiers are urged to protect themselves from mosquito bites by:
• Using an insect repellent that contains DEET.
• Wearing shoes, socks, long pants and a long-sleeved shirt when outdoors for long periods of time, or from dusk to dawn, when mosquitoes are most active. Clothing should be light colored and made of tightly woven materials to keep mosquitoes away from the skin. Pant legs should tucked into shoes or socks, and collars should be buttoned.
• Use mosquito netting when sleeping outdoors or in an unscreened structure.
You also can protect your family and your community from biting mosquitoes by:
• Eliminating areas of standing water available for mosquito breeding in or near your property.
• Repairing failed septic systems.
• Keeping grass cut short and shrubbery trimmed.
• Disposing of old tires, cans, plastic containers, ceramic pots or other unused containers that can hold water.
• Cleaning clogged roof gutters, particularly if leaves tend to plug up the drains.
• Aerating ornamental pools or stocking them with predatory fish.
"The mosquitoes are still out and are still biting," said Joseph.
Daily updates on positive results for West Nile virus and a virus surveillance map are available on the State Department of Health's Web site at www.in.gov/isdh by clicking on the image in the center of the page.
