TIPPECANOE COUNTY — A mosquito group in Tippecanoe County has tested postive for the West Nile Virus.
According to a report from the Tippecanoe County Health Department, the Indiana State Department of Health notified the local health department on Tuesday of the positive test. The test came from one mosquito group found in Tippecanoe County on Aug. 26.
According to information from the ISDH, West Nile Virus has now been detected in 13 of the state's 92 counties.
It is the first time this year that a positive test for West Nile Virus was found in the county, the health department said. Health officials said they were expecting to see a positive test this year after the virus was present in the county the past few years.
Residents are asked to take precautions when outdoors during dawn and dusk when mosquitoes are most active. People should wear insect repellant that contains DEET and make sure their property is free of any standing water that could be a breeding ground for mosquitoes.
West Nile Virus is transmitted to humans by a mosquito that has first bitten an infected bird. A person who is infected may show symptoms from three to 15 days after the bite.
Most people who become infected with the virus have either no symptoms or mild symptoms, the health department said. Some individuals will have a more severe form of the disease.
Symptoms include: high fever, headache, stiff neck, muscle weakness or paralysis, and confusion.
