(Dodge County, NE) -- Three Rivers Public Health Department confirms their first human case of West Nile Virus.
The health department says the patient is hospitalized. “West Nile Virus is a concern, and this is a good reminder to protect yourself and your family from mosquito bites,” said Terra Uhing, Health Director.
Three Rivers Public Health Department has been trapping and testing mosquitoes for West Nile Virus this year. The district’s third positive West Nile Virus mosquito pool has also been reported within Dodge County in Fremont. The first positive pool was reported in Fremont on August 11, and the second positive pool was reported in Fremont on September 8.
People can reduce their risk of getting West Nile by:
- Using a repellant that contains DEET
- Wearing long-sleeved shirts, long pants, shoes, and socks
- Taking extra precautions when going outdoors at dawn and dusk when mosquitoes are most active
- Removing standing water where mosquitoes breed
- Irrigate lawns and gardens carefully to prevent water from standing for several days
- Empty and change the water in bird baths, fountains, wading pools, rain barrels and potted trays at least once a week, if not more often
- Make sure window and door screens are “bug tight” and repair or replace torn screens