Westmoreland County is free of West Nile virus as the 2021 season approaches the end.Allegheny spray set

No cases of West Nile virus have been found so far this year in Westmoreland County. That said, authorities didn’t have to spray to fight the mosquitoes that carry the disease.

The Westmoreland Conservation Area, which catches mosquitoes to test for signs of illness, reports that all insects sent by the county to the State Environmental Protection Agency this year have been tested negative for the virus. In addition, no county resident tested positive for the disease this year.

Mosquito populations are regularly monitored in up to 70 locations throughout the county. Since the program was implemented, only two Westmoreland residents have been tested positive for the virus — one each in 2017 and 2018.

last year, One positive mosquito sample Collected in Greensburg.

In Allegheny County, some samples of mosquitoes collected in Pittsburgh and Wilkinsburg this year were West Nile fever positive.County health officials say with the city’s West End Scheduled additional spray On the North Side and Brighton Heights.

Another round of spray is planned for Mondays from 8pm to 11pm in several Pittsburgh districts, including Wilkinsburg and Garfield, Point Breeze and Homewood. If it rains, the spray will be moved on Tuesday.

According to state officials, the risk of mosquito disease epidemics will be reduced by the end of September due to insect biology.

Most people who are bitten by mosquitoes infected with the West Nile virus do not suffer from serious consequences. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that 70% to 80% of people infected with the virus do not develop symptoms.

About 20% of infected people develop fever with headache, body pain, arthralgia, vomiting, diarrhea and rash.

In the most rare but severe cases, it can cause inflammation involving the brain and central nervous system, such as encephalitis, meningitis, and meningoencephalitis. Most people recover completely.

Westmoreland Conservation officials recommend that residents take steps to control the West Nile virus by eliminating waste tires and other outdoor spaces that can collect water and become a breeding ground for mosquitoes. I am.