ROCK SPRINGS — Sweetwater County has 4 confirmed animal cases of West Nile Virus (WNV) but there are no human cases in Sweetwater County to date. There has been an overall large increase in the detection of WNV in mosquitoes, animals, and humans throughout the state. 

Earlier this month we shared the Wyoming Department of Health’s article advocating mosquito protection due to the higher-than-usual number of mosquito pools within Wyoming testing positive for West Nile Virus. The full article can be found here.

Preventing mosquito bites is key to preventing infection with WNV.

• Eliminate standing water around your home by draining and removing sites where mosquitoes can breed: tires, buckets, other water-holding objects. 
• Avoid outdoor activities at dawn and dusk, when the mosquitoes that carry WNV are most active. 
• Wear insect repellent such as DEET, Picaridin, oil of lemon eucalyptus, and others. 
• Wear loose-fitting, long-sleeved shirts and pants when outdoors. Treat outdoor clothing and gear with permethrin. 
• Use screens on windows and doors to prevent mosquitoes from entering your home. 
• Use air conditioning, if available. 

Common symptoms of WNV include headache, high fever, muscle pain, weakness, and fatigue. Persons 50 years of age and older are more likely to experience significant clinical disease from WNV. 

You can view the Wyoming West Nile Virus data page on the Wyoming Department of Health’s website under the Infectious Disease Epidemiology Division or by clicking here.