Human case of West Nile virus confirmed in Fayette County
A case of West Nile virus has been confirmed in a Lexington resident, the Lexington-Fayette County Health Department said Tuesday.
It’s the first Fayette County case of West Nile in a human this year.
The health department said it plans to spray for mosquitoes in the 40505 and 40508 zip codes between 3 and 6 a.m. Thursday because of the person’s infection.
But it can spray only if the wind speed is less than 10 mph, the temperature is over 55 degrees and there is no rain or dense fog.
The chemical the health department will spray is Duet, which “has been rigorously tested for human and animal safety and is registered for outdoor residential and recreational areas,” the health department said in a news release.
The health department said Duet includes a component that causes resting mosquitoes to fly up and come in contact with sumithrin, which kills them.
The health department said earlier this month that it would spray in the 40509 zip code, because a pool of mosquitoes collected in late August tested positive for the West Nile virus.
Fayette County last had a human case of West Nile in August 2017.
Humans can get West Nile from being bitten by an infected mosquito, and about 20 percent of people who are infected will experience symptoms, which can include fever, headache, body aches, nausea, vomiting, swollen lymph nodes or rash on the chest, stomach or back, the Centers for Disease Control says.
The health department says that preventing mosquito bites is the best way to avoid West Nile virus.
To help do that, use an insect repellent, wear long sleeves, pants and socks when possible, make sure your home has window and door screens and eliminate standing water from around your home.
The health department says it monitors for standing water and tries to eliminate the water or, when elimination isn’t possible, to treat it with chemicals that kill the mosquito larvae.
People can report standing water problems in their neighborhood to the health department’s Environmental Health section by calling (859) 231-9791.