Health dept: Remove mosquito breeding grounds

FINDLAY — After a chilly season that seemed to stretch on longer than usual this year, Northwest Ohioans are now heading into Memorial Day weekend, generally seen as the unofficial start of summer. We are ready — more than ready — for picnics. Barbecues. Camping. Swimming. Vacations. Also, unfortunately, mosquitoes. And while mosquito bites are generally nothing more than an itchy nuisance, they can lead to contracting the potentially dangerous West Nile virus. So Hancock Public Health staff will be spraying throughout the summer, but also remind citizens to think prevention as much as possible. Josh Niese, director of environmental health, told the Board of Health on May 15 that the health department did not receive a mosquito grant this year that had previously paid for an intern to set mosquito traps around the county. Niese said other staff will take on some of this trapping, but there may be less of it happening this year. Mosquitoes caught in the traps are shipped to the Ohio Department of Health for testing, and this data helps Hancock Public Health better determine where West Nile virus, and mosquitoes in general, are most present. "We have years and years of data" to rely on, even if this year there will be less data collected, Niese said. The health department will be using this data to determine where to spray for mosquitoes. Niese said they concentrate on areas where they know there is a lot of mosquito activity. They also spray prior to certain events that are likely to involve a lot of people, such as spraying Emory Adams Park before Flag City BalloonFest. The spraying kills adult mosquitoes. The health department also puts larvicide into catchbasins of standing water throughout the community, to kill the larvae. The loss of the grant funding does not affect the spraying or larvicide, which will continue as they do every year. The health department keeps a list of properties where homeowners have indicated they do not want any mosquito spraying near their home. Niese said properties added to this list in previous years will remain on the list, but if anyone else would like their property added, they can request this by emailing environmental@hancockph.com. The public can also reduce the mosquito population by eliminating breeding grounds. "Try to remove any standing water that you have within your property," Niese said. "Mosquitoes only need about an inch of standing water to lay their eggs." Planter dishes, watering cans and scrap tires are all among possible sites, he said. Larger areas of standing water are particularly attractive to mosquitoes. He encouraged community members to empty water out of these containers after it rains. Niese also advised patching up any holes in window screens and sealing any gaps with weather stripping. He recommended wearing EPA-approved bug spray containing DEET and being aware of your surroundings when you are out and about. When possible — though this can be a challenge in Ohio in the summer — wear long sleeves with lightweight fabrics, and cover as much exposed skin as you can. Niese said human cases of West Nile virus in Hancock County are fairly rare, and humans cannot spread the virus to other humans. However, mosquito bites are always a potential risk. He encouraged someone not feeling well following a bite to seek medical attention. Approximately 80% of people who are infected with West Nile virus will not show any symptoms at all, but there is no way to know in advance if you will develop an illness or not," states the Ohio Department of Health website on West Nile virus. When someone does develop symptoms, it is usually between two and 14 days after the bite. Symptoms can include fever, headache, body aches, nausea, vomiting, swollen lymph glands and a rash on the chest, stomach or back. These symptoms can last anywhere from a few days to several weeks. About 1 in 150 people infected with the virus will develop severe illness, which may include permanent neurologic effects, ODH reports. Symptoms may include high fever, headache, neck stiffness, stupor, disorientation, coma, tremors, convulsions, muscle weakness, vision loss, numbness and paralysis. Death from infection with West Nile virus occurs in 10% of those diagnosed with severe illness, ODH reports. Niese said tick-borne diseases are also a concern. Hancock Public Health does not have an active tick program, but if people would like to get a tick tested, the health department can connect them with labs that can do this. He said that at the state level, both tick bites and cases of Lyme disease have been increasing.