Mosquitoes In Boulder County Test Positive For West Nile Virus
BOULDER COUNTY, Colo. (CBS4) - The Boulder County Health Department announced Thursday that mosquitoes in a pool near Longmont have tested positive for West Nile Virus.
Positive mosquito pools have also been confirmed in Larimer County this year. So far there are three West Nile human cases in 2016, according to the state health department.
"Unfortunately, wet weather followed by high temperatures creates an ideal environment for mosquitoes to breed," said Lane Drager, Boulder County Public Health Consumer Protection program coordinator. "Now is the time to take steps to protect ourselves and our families from West Nile virus."
West Nile virus is transmitted to humans by the bite of an infected mosquito. There is no treatment, cure or vaccination.
Boulder County Public Health officials are urging residents to take precautions to protect themselves by remembering the 4 Ds:
- Use DEET-enhanced insect repellent or alternative
- Dress in long sleeves and pants
- Avoid the outdoors from dusk until dawn
- Drain standing water outside your home.
The mosquito season usually lasts from late April through mid-October, ending with the first freeze of the fall.
