BOSTON---For the first time this summer, a mosquito pool in Jamaica Plain has tested positive for West Nile Virus (WNV), the Boston Public Health Commission reported today. There have been no confirmed human cases of WNV in Boston.
While WNV is most commonly transmitted to humans by the bite of a mosquito infected with the virus, Dr. Anita Barry, director of the Infectious Disease Bureau at the Public Health Commission, said WNV poses very low risk to humans. But even that low risk can be reduced if people take a few simple steps to protect themselves and their families.
Those steps include using insect repellant when outdoors, especially from dusk to dawn when mosquitoes are more likely to be biting and, when possible, wearing clothing with long sleeves and pants, she said. “People should also mosquito-proof their home by making sure that their window and door screens are in good repair to prevent mosquitoes from getting into your house,’’ Dr. Barry said.
To prevent mosquitoes from breeding, she advises turning over unused flower pots, buckets, wheelbarrows, and garbage cans; removing leaves and other debris that can clog gutters and trap water; disposing of or covering old tires; and covering swimming pools and kiddie pools when not in use.
For more information, call the Boston Public Health Commission at 617-534-5611, or visit www.bphc.org/mbi.