Aug. 27, 2024. Reno/Sparks, Nev. – Northern Nevada Public Health (NNPH) has detected West Nile Virus (WNV) in mosquito samples in Washoe County and is urging residents to take certain precautions when recreating in areas with known mosquito habitats.
So far this season, NNPH’s mosquito surveillance activities have found WNV in mosquito samples in the 89436 and 89521 ZIP codes. It is common for mosquitos to have WNV, and NNPH regularly sends samples to the Nevada State Laboratory for surveillance purposes.
No human cases of the virus have been reported in Washoe County.
WNV can be transmitted to humans and can lead to headache, high fever, stiff neck, disorientation, coma, tremors, paralysis, and death. Find more information at this link.
NNPH is urging the community to take protective measures when recreating near water, such as wearing loose-fitting clothing (pants and long-sleeved shirts), using insect repellant, and understanding that mosquitos are most active during morning and evening hours. Additionally, the risk of mosquito-borne illnesses can be lessened by removing any standing water near homes and installing protective screens on doors and windows.
Clark County has reported multiple cases of WNV in humans, after finding thousands of mosquitos testing positive for the virus.
NNPH has organized a helicopter mosquito treatment for Wednesday, Aug. 28.
The aerial application will treat wetlands and other known mosquito breeding habitats in the Reno/Sparks area. People recreating may see a helicopter dispensing an environmentally-friendly treatment to known mosquito breeding areas, which consists of small pellets (not a liquid spray) designed to target mosquito larvae in water and prevent them from becoming biting adults that transmit diseases like West Nile virus (WNV) and others.
Check NNPH’s Vector-Borne Disease Prevention website for more information on mosquito treatment, source reduction, preventative measures, and other updates.
###
Please note the Washoe County Health District changed its name to Northern Nevada Public Health on Aug. 31, 2023. More information is here.
Northern Nevada Public Health (NNPH) is nationally accredited by the Public Health Accreditation Board and has jurisdiction over all public health matters in Reno, Sparks, and Washoe County through the policy-making District Board of Health. NNPH consists of five divisions: Administrative Health Services, Air Quality Management, Community and Clinical Health Services, Environmental Health Services and Epidemiology & Public Health Preparedness. More info can be found here.