First Human West Nile Virus Case In Kal. County

WWMT NewsChannel 3
August 31st, 2012

(NEWSCHANNEL 3) - Health Officials have just confirmed the first human case of West Nile Virus in Kalamazoo County.

This report comes just one day after the virus claimed its first life in Kent County, and as more cases continue to be reported in West Michigan.

So far this year, there have been 104 human cases, five of them deadly.

About 25 percent of those cases have come on the west side of the state.

When it comes to the mosquito population in West Michigan, experts say there's good news and bad news.

The good news is that all the dry weather means that there are fewer of them around.

The bad news is that a larger concentration of them are carrying the virus.

Jim Nelson at Rose Pest Solutions spoke to Newschannel 3 with a few simple tips for keeping the insects away from your home.

Nelson says that the mosquitoes breed in stagnant water, be it kiddie pools, bird baths and the like.

He says to get rid of locations of standing water around your home, and that will go a long way toward solving the problem.

If you don't want to have to call pest control, they have tools to target your yard and get rid of the insects as well.

West Nile is most common in late summer and fall, and according to the Centers for Disease Control, it's best to stay indoors at dusk and dawn when the bugs are most prevalent.

Experts also add that it's a good idea to wear insect repellant if you're outside working around your home, but make sure it's a spray that contains DEET.

It won't prevent West Nile, but it will keep the insects away.

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