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LOGAN — A sample of mosquitoes in Logan tested positive for West Nile virus, city officials said Friday.
The mosquitoes with West Nile virus were found in a trap near 1700 North and 1200 West, according to a Facebook post from the city of Logan.
The Logan City Mosquito Abatement team will continue abatement and surveillance activities, including killing or preventing mosquito larva from growing to adulthood and killing adult mosquitoes by fogging. The team usually fogs mosquitoes at dusk or during the night when the mosquitoes infected by West Nile virus are most active.
Cache County is the fourth county in Utah where mosquitoes have been found carrying the West Nile virus this summer. Carrier mosquitoes were also found in Box Elder, Davis and Uintah counties during July, and the virus is likely more widespread.
However, no human cases have been reported to the Utah Department of Health yet.
West Nile virus first arrived in Utah in 2006. It has resurfaced each year since. Mosquito abatement districts in each community track the insects and spray for them when and where they can.
To avoid mosquitoes that carry the virus, experts recommend using repellent, avoiding standing water, wearing long sleeves and pants between dusk and dawn, keeping roof gutters clear of debris, making sure screens are in good condition and keeping weeds and tall grass cut short.
Most infected with West Nile virus don’t develop any symptoms, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, but about 1 in 5 will develop a fever with other symptoms like headaches, body aches, joint pains, vomiting, diarrhea or rashes.
About 1 in 150 people infected with the virus develop a severe illness that affects the central nervous system and can cause inflammation of the brain or the membranes that surround the brain and spinal cord, the CDC says. This can cause high fevers, tremors, convulsions, muscle weakness and more.
Those who experience similar symptoms should see a doctor, the CDC recommends. There isn’t a vaccine or antiviral treatment for the West Nile virus, but over-the-counter pain relievers can reduce fever symptoms. In severe cases, patients will need to be hospitalized.
