COLUMBUS – Health officials say the first positive test for West Nile virus has been found in a pool of mosquitoes from a trap in western Franklin County.
The positive test came from a pool of mosquitoes in the Norwich Township area near Hilliard.
The mosquito pool was identified as part of the weekly surveillance carried out by Franklin County Public Health, which includes setting 50 traps throughout the county to monitor the adult mosquito population and to identify WNV, spokeswoman Amber Breedlove said.
The agency has been actively trapping mosquitoes since mid-May, she said.
Breedlove says the virus has been present in Franklin County for many years but when it appears can vary from year to year.
She says this is a good reminder for people to take precautionary steps to protect themselves and their families:
Wear insect repellant containing DEET (follow package directions)
Limit outdoor activity at dusk and dawn when mosquitoes are most active
Empty all standing water around your home (planters, containers, pet dishes, bird baths, tires etc.)
-Source: Franklin Co. Public Health
The Ohio Department of Health reports there were 17 cases of West Nile virus in Ohio last year, well below the average annual number of cases since 2001.