Mosquitoes are by far the most dangerous creatures on the planet due to its ability to transfer diseases to humans. Historically, they have caused the death of more people than all the wars combined. In fact, more soldiers died due to malaria and dengue fever than bullets and bombs during the two World Wars. Aside from dengue fever and malaria, other mosquito-borne diseases include Zika virus, chikungunya, yellow fever, and the West Nile virus.
Last year, the Department of Health and Human Services reported five cases of West Nile virus, while the U.S. Centers For Disease Control said that 48 states reported cases of West Nile virus in people, including 66 deaths. Now, that is 66 deaths too many for something that could have been prevented.
What Is The West Nile Virus?
The West Nile virus is a disease that is primarily transmitted by mosquitoes. Cases of this virus occur from the beginning of summer and last until fall. Unlike dengue, vaccines are not yet available to fight the occurrence of WNV.
Signs And Symptoms
Surprisingly, only 1 out of 5 people with the virus will show symptoms. The other 4 will show no or at worse, only mild symptoms. For the 20% who are infected, the symptoms are:
- Fever
- Headache and body aches
- Diarrhea
- Rash on the trunk of the body
- Muscle weakness
- Swollen lymph glands
- Neck stiffness
- Vision loss
- Numbness
- Paralysis
How To Prevent West Nile Virus From Spreading
To prevent the West Nile virus, mosquitoes must be controlled and their numbers minimized. Mosquitoes bite regardless of whether it is daytime or night time, and they bite both young and old. Here are some tips on how to control the damages caused by mosquitoes:
- Use insect repellent. Use the Environmental Protection Agency - registered insect repellents. Repellents that are registered with EPA are proven safe and effective.
- Remove stagnant water. Check your surrounding area for any pool of standing water. If not needed, throw away old items like old tires, broken or clogged rain gutters, old containers, street gutter, watering cans, outdoor faucets, or anything that can hold water as these are easy breeding grounds for the mosquitoes.
- As much as possible, wear a long-sleeved shirt and pants.
- Make use of mosquito traps and zappers. Traps are also effective in dealing with the mosquitoes. Mosquito traps work by attracting the mosquitoes with bait into an enclosed area, where they will be trapped with a net, or are killed.
- Use a mosquito net in the bedroom. Choose a good mosquito net to protect yourself and your loved ones. The bedroom is one of the favorite hangouts for the mosquitoes.
Go-Forth Home Services Company
Perhaps the easiest way to eradicate the source of the West Nile virus is to call in the local experts to exterminate mosquitoes. In this case, Go-Forth Home Services is your best bet. Go-Forth has a team of highly-skilled, well trained professionals using state of the art equipment.
For inquiries or to set an appointment, just contact us!