West Nile Virus Found in Hackettstown

Over five dozen mosquitoes collected from the Sandbar Park and Alumni Field area of Hackettstown tested positive for the West Nile virus, police said Thursday.

Already in Hackettstown there have been two other positive West Nile virus tests among mosquitoes, as did 10 other mosquitoes throughout Warren County. Two people, one from Burlington County and one from Camden County, have tested positive for the virus so far this year.

The virus travels fastest among people and other mammals in mid- to late-August, and police said they are working on trapping mosquito species which are more likely to bite people and will introduce "treatments" to reduce mosquito populations in the areas where West Nile Virus has been found so far.

According to a Nixle alert released by the Hackettstown Police, the Culex mosquitoes used in the latest test were collected on August 22 "in a trap specifically designed to catch Culex mosquitoes, which are the type responsible for transmitting West Nile virus, particularly from bird to bird." The mosquitoes were tested at the state Public Health and Environmental Lab in Trenton on Monday.

Symptoms of West Nile virus include fever, headache and body aches, fatigue and swollen lymph glands. Severe illness resulting from the virus includes neck stiffness, stupor, disorientation, tremors, convulsions, muscle weakness, numbness, vision loss, paralysis and coma. Neurological effects can become permanent and the virus can be fatal in some cases.

To reduce your risk of contracting West Nile virus, Hackettstown Police recommend the following:

• Dump or drain any standing water on your property.
• Use repellant containing DEET, picaridin, or oil of lemon eucalyptus
• Avoid going outdoors and dawn and dusk, when mosquitoes are more likely to be out.
• If you know of a neglected swimming pool, call 908-453-3585 or go to vwww.warrencountymosquito.org. " Just one neglected pool than produce more than 1 million mosquitoes and affect people up to five miles away," police said.
• Report any dead birds, especially crows or blue jays, to the Warren County Health Department at 908-475-7960.