Thursday, August 21, 2008

Post continues vigilance in preventing West Nile Virus

Belvoir health and environmental officials continue increased surveillance and control measures to reduce the community’s exposure to West Nile virus.

“A high level of mosquito surveillance” since an initial finding of mosquito samples with the virus has detected five more positive samples, said Capt. Christopher Colegrove, chief of environmental health for DeWitt Health Care Network’s Preventive Medicine Services.

  On August 6, PMS reported pooled samples containing 25 mosquitoes collected on post the last two weeks in July tested positive for the virus. They were the first documented samples identified this year on the installation.

Since then, the post’s health and environmental agencies have stepped up measures to educate the public about the virus and how to prevent its spread, as well as stepping up a program to kill mosquito larvae before they can develop into biting adults.

“Preventive Medicine is coordinating with tenant units and health care providers to educate the effects of WNV,“ Colegrove said. “Additionally material will be distributed at the commissary, PX, Child and Youth Services, and School Age Services.“
Workers with the Directorate of Public Works’ Environmental and Natural Resources Division also continue to monitor and treat problem areas, according to Steve Watters, installation pest management coordinator.

“Standing bodies of water have been treated with Altosid. Storm drains, inlet basins and catch basins have been treated with Bti,“ he said. Both are water treatments that prevent mosquitoes from maturing into adults.

Watters said there is still no need to implement fogging, and emphasized the best method of prevention is a combination of larvaciding and removing standing water.

For more information about WNV, contact Environmental Health at 703-805-0059 or 703-805-0089, or visit the following: Centers for

Disease Control and Prevention’s website at Cdc.gov/ncidod/dvbid/westnile/index.htm or The U.S. Army Center for Health Promotion and Preventive Medicine at Apgea.army.mil/ento/westnile.htm.