[Archived] City of Alexandria Reports West Nile Virus Activity in Mosquitoes

City Press Release


	For Immediate Release	For More Information, Contact
	August 9, 2005 PIO# 252-05/sjm	Steven J. Mason, Public Information Officer, or Raynard Owens, Communications Officer, at 703.838.4300 Raynard Owens, Communications Officer, at 703.838.4300

City of Alexandria Reports West Nile Virus Activity in Mosquitoes

(Alexandria, VA) – Mosquito pools collected in the Fort Ward Park area on West Braddock Road have tested positive for West Nile virus (WNV), marking the first reported activity of the virus in the City of Alexandria for the 2005 season.

The Alexandria Health Department (AHD) Vector-Borne Illness Prevention Program collected the mosquitoes on August 3, 2005, and the sample was confirmed positive for West Nile Virus by the state’s Division of Consolidated Laboratory Services.

“The confirmation of a positive mosquito pool (collection) in the City emphasizes the importance of mosquito control around our homes and the steps residents need to take to protect themselves from mosquito-borne illness. We urge people in the City to be proactive in their efforts to eliminate mosquito breeding habitats,” said Alexandria Health Director, Charles Konigsberg, Jr., MD, MPH.

Human cases of West Nile virus were first diagnosed in Alexandria in 2002. Last year, there were no laboratory confirmed human cases of the West Nile virus in the City and just five cases statewide. However, there were seven mosquito pools (collections) that tested positive for the West Nile virus in the City. Health officials know that the disease is endemic in the region. Fortunately, there are ways of preventing the spread of diseases like West Nile. By getting rid of mosquito-breeding areas, residents can play a large role in these efforts.

The AHD Division of Environmental Health’s Vector-borne Illness Prevention Program recommends the following tips to eliminate mosquito-breeding areas in your neighborhood and to reduce exposure to adult mosquitoes:

Eliminate Mosquito Breeding on Your Property

q Empty birdbaths and other water holding containers, such as trays under flower pots, at least once a week.
q Properly dispose of used tires.
q Clean roof gutters and downspouts. Check corrugated black drainpipes
for any water collection.
q Turn over wading pools, wheelbarrows, canoes, pails, trash can lids, children's toys, and any other object that can hold water, including items
stored under decks and porches.
q Repair dripping outdoor water faucets.
q Drain water from tarps and grill covers.

Avoid Mosquito Bites

q Avoid outdoors activities, at dawn and dusk, in mosquito-infested areas like marshes and wetlands.
q Use insect repellants, such as DEET (N,N-diethyl-m-toluamide), Picardin (KBR 3023), or Oil of Lemon eucalyptus (p-menthane 3,8-PMD), as per lbel directions.
q Wear loose, long and light-colored clothing when outdoors.
q Check screens on windows and doors for holes, and repair if necessary
using a fine-mesh screen.

For more information West Nile virus, please visit the following websites.

q Virginia Department of Health:
http://www.vdh.virginia.gov/whc/external_whc/westnilevirus.asp

q U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:
http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvbid/westnile/index.htm

For additional questions or concerns regarding mosquitoes or mosquito-borne illnesses, please contact Patricia Ferrao, at (703) 838-4400 ext. 327, or Holly Feltner, at ext 326, in the AHD’s Vector-Borne Illness Prevention Program.

###