The Chattanooga-Hamilton County Health Department will once again monitor for the presence of West Nile Virus in Hamilton County throughout the mosquito season, while urging residents to take simple steps to repel mosquitoes. As we move towards the summer months mosquitoes will be a fact of life, but some types of the insects are more than just a nuisance. They can spread the West Nile Virus and other viral diseases.

Bonnie Deakins, director of Environmental Services at the Health Department said, “The important thing to remember is to protect yourself from mosquito bites when you are going to be outside. We want people to enjoy their spring and summer free of West Nile Virus."

West Nile Virus is a virus carried by mosquitoes that can cause illness in humans. Infected mosquitoes spread the virus from infected birds to humans. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, most people who contract WNV do not show any symptoms. However, about 20% of people experience symptoms such as fever, headache, nausea and vomiting, and an estimated 1 in 150 people infected with WNV will develop severe illness.

Surveillance is a critical early warning system for detection of WNV.

In Hamilton County, the Health Department’s Vector Control Program operates a surveillance program that collects and tests mosquitoes for West Nile Virus throughout the mosquito season.

Residents can also help monitor for WNV by delivering freshly dead blue jays or crows (with no decay) that have mysteriously died on your property to the Environmental Health Section of the Department.

Call Environmental Health before coming at 423 209-8110 to confirm that birds are still being tested from your area. Pick up the bird using a glove or clear plastic bag (place hand in bag, grasp the bird, pull bag over hand), and double-bag the bird inside a clear leak-proof bag. Keep bagged bird on ice or refrigerate, but do not place the bird in close contact with food (e.g., not in a household refrigerator or picnic cooler with food). Deliver the bird to the Health Department at 921 East 3rd Street in Chattanooga, from 8 a.m.-4 p.m., on Monday-Friday.

Residents can help control the mosquitoes by eliminating breeding sites on their own property. Anything that collects standing water can become a breeding ground for the type of mosquitoes that transmit WNV, so it’s very important to empty or eliminate objects which hold water, especially after rainfall.

Tips for reducing habitat and preparing the home:
· Tip out barrels, buckets, wheelbarrows, and children’s wading pools
· Change water in birdbaths and animal bowls at least once a week
· Get rid of used tires or drill holes in them for draining
· Clean garden ponds
· Recycle old bottles, buckets and cans
· Clean leaf-clogged gutters
· Empty water from flower pot dishes and saucers
· Dump water off of tarps and plastic sheeting
· Repair leaky outdoor faucets
· Cover rain barrels with mosquito screens

Tips to protect yourself and “Fight the Bite”:
· Reduce outdoor activity from dusk to dawn, the peak biting time for many species of mosquitoes.
· Use insect repellents that contain DEET, picaridin, oil of lemon eucalyptus and IR3535 (according to package instructions).
· Wear protective clothing when working or playing outdoors such as long-sleeved shirts, long pants, and socks.
· Keep windows and doors closed or cover them with screens to prevent mosquitoes from entering your home.

To find out more about Chattanooga-Hamilton County Health Department’s West Nile Virus surveillance, call 423 209-8110 between 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m., Monday-Friday.