West Nile virus detected in mosquito sample in Cincinnati, Ohio. What you need to know.

A mosquito sample collected in Cincinnati, Ohio has tested positive for the West Nile virus, the Cincinnati Health Department reported Monday.

The department collected the sample during routine, ongoing "surveillance" to find mosquito-borne diseases in the Cincinnati area, located near the Ohio River, according to a news release.

Dr. Grant Mussman, the city's health commissioner, recommended taking a number of precautionary measures to protect from transmission.

“Whenever we find West Nile virus in our local mosquito population, we worry about transmission to humans. That is what we want to prevent,” Mussman said in the release. “We want to encourage Cincinnati area residents to take some simple precautionary measures to protect themselves, their families, and their neighbors.”

How to prevent mosquitoes from breeding

The department recommends the following precautions to prevent mosquitoes from breeding near homes:

• Since mosquitoes breed in stagnant water and can do so even in a very small quantity of water, remove any possible breeding areas where mosquitoes could lay eggs.
• Eliminate sources of standing water in your yard such as saucers under flowerpots, children’s toys, wheelbarrows, boats, tires, puddles, etc.
• Replace water in bird baths and outdoor pet dishes at least every week to help eliminate stagnant water.
• Keep your swimming pool circulating, clean and chlorinated, and remove any water that collects on the swimming pool cover.
• Empty out and turn over plastic wading pools or kiddie pools when not in use.
• Keep gutters clean to prevent standing water.

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How to prevent mosquito bites

The department also suggests the following to prevent mosquito bites:

• Wear light-colored, loose-fitting pants and long-sleeved shirts, as well as shoes and socks when outdoors for long periods of time, or when mosquitoes are most active.
• Use an EPA-approved mosquito repellent to protect exposed skin and follow label directions carefully when applying to yourself or your children.
• Place BTi (bacillus thuringiensis israelensis) briquettes such as Mosquito Dunks in standing water that cannot be drained. BTi is lethal to mosquito larvae but harmless to humans, other animals, and aquatic life. It can provide protection for up to 30 days and can be purchased at many hardware stores or gardening centers.
• Repair or replace old and torn screens in doors, windows, and vents. Look for any other possible access points into your home.
• If you choose to use an insect spray to treat your property or yard, be sure to follow label directions carefully.
• For questions or more information regarding West Nile virus or mosquitoes, contact the Cincinnati Health Department’s Technical Environmental Services Unit at 513-352-2922.

What is West Nile?

The West Nile Virus is an arbovirus (infections caused by a bite) spread by bites from infected mosquitoes, according to the Ohio Department of Health.

Mosquitoes become infected when they feed on infected birds and then can spread the virus to humans or other animals through a bite. Most people in Ohio are infected by what's called the northern house mosquito (Culex Pipiens), a common house mosquito in urban, suburban and rural habitats, according to Ohio State University's College of Food, Agricultural and Environmental Studies.

The virus was first detected in the United States in New York City in 1999 and spread quickly across the country within a few years, according to ODH. By 2002, it had spread throughout 87 of Ohio's 88 counties. There were an estimated 225 deaths attributed to the West Nile virus in the U.S. in 2021.