42 West Nile Mosquitoes Found In Montgomery Co. This Season

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, PA — Montgomery County has seen a notable drop in West Nile Virus cases this year compared to 2022, according to surveillance data provided by state and county authorities. The shift comes even as case rates of all infectious diseases from mosquitoes shoot up nationwide.

There have been 42 confirmed samples of mosquitoes with the virus in the county in 2023. That's down from a staggering 168 at about this point in 2022, Pennsylvania Department of Health Data shows.

2022 also saw three human cases of the virus in Montgomery County by this time, and 2023 has seen none.

Fueled by climate change, record heat for much of the year, across much of the country, has contributed to earlier and more frequent mosquito breeding. While there have been droughts, periods of heavy rainfall often allow standing water to linger for longer lengths of time, providing even more desirable habitat for mosquitoes.

This is true in both urban and rural environments, and creeks and rivers throughout the county have been a frequent target of West Nile spraying in the past.

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.

West Nile can cause febrile illness, encephalitis (inflammation of the brain) or meningitis (inflammation of the lining of the brain and spinal cord), according to the CDC. The elderly and those already sick are those most vulnerable to the virus.

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

The Montgomery County Office of Public Health offers the following tips to help eliminate mosquito breeding areas:

• Identify and eliminate all sources of standing water. Mosquitoes will breed in any stagnant water that stands for five or more days.
• Dispose of tin cans, plastic containers, ceramic posts or similar water holding containers. Don't overlook container that have become overgrown by aquatic vegetation.
• Pay special attention to discarded tires that may have collected water. They can serve as a breeding ground for mosquitoes.
• Drill holes in the bottom of recycling container that are left outdoors. Drainage holes that are located on the container sides collect enough water for mosquitoes to breed in.
• Have clogged roof gutters cleaned on an annual basis, particularly if the leaves from surrounding trees have a tendency to block drains.
• Turn over plastic wading pols when not in use. A wading pool becomes a place for mosquitoes to breed if it is not used on a regular basis.
• Turn over wheelbarrows and do not allow water to stagnate in birdbaths.
• Aerate ornamental pools or stock them with fish. Water gardens are fashionable but become major mosquito breeding grounds if they are allowed to stagnate.
• Keep swimming pools clean and chlorinated. A swimming pool that is left untended becomes a source of mosquito breeding. Be aware that mosquitoes may even breed in the water that collects on swimming pool covers.