KIANTONE – County health officials are reporting that a mosquito pool located in the town of Kiantone has tested positive for West Nile Virus.
On Tuesday afternoon the Chautauqua County Department of Health and Human Services said it had received confirmation from the State Department of Health that one mosquito pool of 10 adult mosquitos collected on September 3 tested positive for West Nile.
Officials say that the mosquito species that tested positive primarily bites birds. They also say it is only the fifth mosquito pool from Chautauqua County that has tested positive since 2001.
County Environmental Health director Mark Stow said in a media release that County residents should not be alarmed by the news, but added that the findings do reinforce the fact that there is a continuing threat of West Nile transmission in the county.
He said it’s important that everyone take precautions to reduce exposure to mosquito bites and take steps to reduce potential mosquito breeding sites on their property.
Precautions against mosquito bites include wearing socks and shoes, long pants, a long-sleeved shirt and applying mosquito repellent during outdoor activities, particularly when around wooded areas and at dusk and dawn when mosquitoes are active.
The active mosquito biting season is nearing an end as adult mosquito activities greatly diminish as the weather cools and the bulk of adult mosquitos are killed with the first hard frost.
For more information about the West Nile Virus, visit www.co.chautauqua.ny.us/559/West-Nile-VirusEEE or contact the Division of Public Health Environmental Health Unit at (716) 753-4481.
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