Mosquitoes Found in Woods Hole Test Positive for West Nile

mosquitoWOODS HOLE – The Cape Cod Mosquito Control Project has confirmed that a mosquito collected last week on Cape Cod has tested positive for the West Nile virus.

Representatives with the group collected a sample of mosquitoes on July 12 from Woods Hole Road and the results two days later, found that it tested positive for West Nile.

Gabrielle Sakolsky, assistant superintendent of the Mosquito Control Project said that the results were not too suprising.

“The Department of Public Health considers the West Nile virus to be present in all the towns in Massachusetts at low levels, so now we’re at the point where we can see if we’ll get more positives from that place,” said Sakolsky.

The group will continue to retest the area as part of its weekly Cape-wide testing to monitor any increases in the virus carrying mosquitoes.

Other samples taken from the area over the past two years also tested positive for West Nile.

Public Health officials said that two out of 10 people who are infected by the virus will develop flu-like symptoms, but less than one percent will develop severe illnesses.

The public is asked to empty any containers, toys or equipment that hold water, in an attempt to reduce the presence of mosquitoes.

“The best thing people can do to prevent those mosquitoes from being in their yard is to take a look around and make sure there is not standing water in any containers in their yard,” said Sakolsky.

By JUSTIN SAUNDERS, CapeCod.com Newscenter

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