Officials say mosquitos in Fairfax County tested positive for West Nile over the weekend, Virginia’s first recorded incidence of the virus this year.
The potentially fatal insect-borne disease was detected in a batch of the bugs Friday in Muddy Hole Farm Park, said Jorge Arias, a county health official.
He said the discovery is unrelated to recent storms that swamped parts of Fairfax County and the rest of the region. The virus has been found regularly since the county began monitoring for it, said Arias, who was hired to run the county’s West Nile virus program.
“It’s here to stay, it’s not going to go away,” Arias said Monday. “What we need to do is monitor it to see that it doesn’t get out of hand.”
Officials were not, however, expecting to find West Nile so soon this year, he said.
No human cases have been reported yet for 2006. In Fairfax County, West Nile virus has caused two deaths since 2002, and has shown up in humans for three of the past four years, said Arias.
Only one in 150 people infected will develop severe symptoms, which can include headaches, seizures, paralysis and fever, according to the Virginia Department of Health. With no known treatment for the virus, officials stress the importance of eliminating mosquito populations and avoiding bites.
Standing water should be eliminated, and using insect repellent and wearing long, loose and light-colored clothing will help deter the insects.
West Nile in Fairfax Co.
2002: 13 human cases, one death
2003: Three human cases, no deaths
2004: One human case, one death
2005: No human cases
Source: County health official
