West Nile Virus detected in mosquitoes trapped in Niwot

West Nile virus has been identified in Boulder County Boulder County Residents Wellness authenticated that last week mosquitoes trapped on the east side of Niwot tested positive for West Nile No other testing sites returned positive results West Nile virus preponderance often causes mild infections but can in various cases become more serious leading to encephalitis meningitis vision loss paralysis or death Although the West Nile mosquito numbers are low any pitfall of transmission is worth taking precautions BCPH declared We ve seen low numbers of mosquitoes so far but we expect them to increase as the season goes on Marshall Lipps environmental robustness specialist at Boulder County Residents Soundness wrote in a release However West Nile virus transmission threat still exists in Boulder County and surrounding areas and we encourage the group to take personal precautions to prevent mosquito bites Finding a positive mosquito in one location doesn t mean the peril is limited to that area West Nile virus can still be present anywhere across the county Boulder County residents are encouraged to use insect repellent with DEET wear long pants and sleeves limit activity during nighttime hours and remove standing water from their property West Nile features include fever fatigue body aches and sometimes rash or swollen lymph nodes Those experiencing any of those signs are encouraged to contact their physical condition care provider BCPH revealed