More Positive West Nile Samples In Levittown Area

A positive West Nile sample was located in Middletown Township this week, according to the state.

Three mosquitoes in Bucks County tested positive for the virus in the most recent data, released on Wednesday. In addition to Middletown Township, positive samples were located in Lower Makefield and Morrisville.

This comes after five positive samples in Bucks County in Tuesday data. That day, two infected mosquitoes were found in both Bensalem and Lower Makefield, and one in Falls.

West Nile has now been detected in at least 11 Bucks County communities this season, including the communities named above as well as Penndel, Doylestown Township, Bristol Township, Warminster, Quakertown, and Perkasie.

The testing is done by the Pennsylvania West Nile Virus Control Program as part of routine surveillance for the virus. Mosquitoes are trapped around the county in breeding areas and are tested daily.

As a result of the findings, Bucks County officials have conducted several spray operations, including in Bensalem, Penndel and Middletown.

West Nile virus appeared for the first time in Pennsylvania in birds, mosquitoes and a horse in 2000. It is most commonly spread to humans by infected mosquitoes. It can cause febrile illness, encephalitis, or meningitis, according to the CDC.

According to the CDC, about one in five people who are infected develop a fever and other symptoms. About one out of 150 infected people develop a serious, sometimes fatal, illness. You can reduce your risk of West Nile Virus by using insect repellent and wearing long-sleeved shirts and long pants to prevent mosquito bites, the CDC said.

The best way to control mosquitoes is still to get rid of standing water on your property, according to information provided by the state's West Nile Virus Control Program.