West Nile Virus detected at Mosquito Lake

 The Trumbull County Combined Health District announced Friday that a mosquito pool collected near the dog park at Mosquito Lake Park tested positive for West Nile Virus, marking the first detection of the virus in the county this year. The sample was collected on July 16.

To date, no human cases of West Nile Virus have been reported in Trumbull County. However, health officials are urging residents to take precautions to prevent mosquito bites.

"With the presence of positive West Nile Virus mosquito pool, we are asking the community to be vigilant against being bitten by a mosquito," said Frank J. Migliozzi, Health Commissioner for the Trumbull County Combined Health District.

This detection follows several recent reports of West Nile Virus in mosquito populations across Northeast Ohio and Western Pennsylvania.

On Wednesday, Mahoning County Public Health (MCPH) reported West Nile Virus in mosquitoes trapped in Boardman Township. This comes after previous detections in Mahoning County, including Poland on July 9, and Austintown and Beaver Township on July 16.

Across the state line, Mercer County, Pennsylvania, confirmed its second positive mosquito sample for West Nile Virus on Thursday, collected from Mercer Borough.

The Ohio Department of Health has also confirmed a human case of West Nile Virus in Fulton County, Ohio, on July 9, the first reported human case in the state this year.

Approximately one in five people infected with the virus may experience fever, headache, body aches, joint pains, vomiting, diarrhea, or a rash. Less than 1% of infected individuals develop a serious, sometimes fatal, neurological illness such as encephalitis or meningitis. People over 60 and those with weakened immune systems are at higher risk for severe illness.

The Trumbull County Combined Health District recommends the following preventative measures:

Use EPA-registered insect repellents on exposed skin when outdoors.

Wear light-colored, long-sleeved shirts or jackets and long pants during peak mosquito biting hours, typically from dusk to dawn.

Eliminate standing water around homes where mosquitoes can breed. This includes regularly emptying flowerpots, buckets, barrels, and wheelbarrows, discarding trash that can hold water, properly disposing of discarded tires, frequently changing water in pet dishes and birdbaths, and cleaning clogged roof gutters.