West Nile Virus Found In Northampton Mosquito

A mosquito with West Nile Virus was located this week in Northampton, authorities said. The Pennsylvania West Nile Virus Control Program located the sample, which was included in data released Thursday.

West Nile has now been detected more than a dozen Bucks County communities this season, including Doylestown Township, Warrington, Bristol Township, Lower Makefield, Warminster, Quakertown, Perkasie, Middletown, and more.

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 one planned for Monday in Middletown and Bensalem townships.

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.