2 More West Nile Mosquitoes Reported In Bristol Twp.

BRISTOL TOWNSHIP, PA — Bristol is earning a distinction it would probably rather not have. On Friday, two mosquitoes were reported to be carrying the potentially dangerous West Nile virus — bringing the total there for this season to four.

That's more than the rest of Bucks County combined and comes just one day after another mosquito tested positive for the virus in Bristol.

The mosquitoes were reported on Friday by Pennsylvania's West Nile Control Program. They are believed to be the sixth and seventh mosquitoes carrying West Nile found in Bucks County this season.

There have been two others in Bristol, one in Upper Southampton, one in Warminster and one in Bensalem that also was reported Friday.

No human infections have been reported in Bucks County.

West Nile is most commonly spread to people by mosquito bites. About one in five people infected with West Nile develop a fever and other symptoms, and about one in 150 develop serious, sometimes fatal illness, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

West Nile can cause encephalitis, or swelling of the brain, in those extreme cases.

While the risk of becoming ill from a bite by a mosquito carrying West Nile is low, officials urge residents to take precautions, like using repellent and removing standing water from their property.

West Nile virus appeared for the first time in Pennsylvania in birds, mosquitoes and a horse in 2000.