Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall has logged three positive tests for West Nile Virus so far this summer, according to the Directorate of Public Works.
Mosquito traps that tested positive for the virus were located behind Bldg. 203 and Lee Avenue on the Fort Myer portion of the joint base and behind Bldg. 28 on the Henderson Hall portion of the joint base, according to JBM-HH Directorate of Public Works Pest Management Team member Ronald Purvis.
"Those are the only...positive tests we've had so far this year," he said.
West Nile is a mosquito-borne virus that first appeared in the United States in 1999, according to the Army Public Health Command. Since then, more than 30,000 people in the U.S. have contracted the virus, which has caused more than 1,200 deaths nationally. As of Sept. 1, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that the District of Columbia has had one case of West Nile virus; Virginia has reported six; and Maryland, 13. It can be particularly dangerous for the elderly and those with compromised immune systems.
Last year, the joint base recorded a total of nine positive West Nile tests, according to Purvis.
JBM-HH is one of 12 participating Department of Defense mosquito testing program sites in the greater Washington, D.C. area. Pest controllers from the joint base set out mosquito traps at nine sites on the joint base - three on the Fort McNair portion, two on the Henderson Hall portion and four on the Fort Myer portion - in April, according to Purvis. Testing of the traps takes place through the first frost. Mosquito samples gathered from the sites are ground up and sent to Fort Meade, Md., for analysis.
In order to prevent mosquito-borne illnesses, residents of Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall should take similar precautions used by the JBM-HH Directorate of Public Works' Pest Management Team to eliminate breeding grounds for mosquitoes around residences.
Hampering mosquito breeding through prevention is one of the best ways to help minimize the potential of virus infection, according to Purvis. One of the most common ways to do just that is by clearing gutter debris during the fall season, he said. Gutters at JBM-HH residences are cleared twice annually, according to JBM-HH Army Family Housing Facilities Manager Kevin Fleming. Gutters were cleared in late April and will be cleared a second time this year after "most of the leaves have dropped," he said in an email.
Other mosquito-breeding prevention tips include:
Use of insect repellents containing DEET, picaridin, IR3535 and some oil of lemon eucalyptus and para-menthane-diol products to provide longer-lasting prevention.
Wear long sleeve shirts and pants from dusk through dawn, which is when mosquitoes are most active.
Ensure screens on windows and doors are not torn or otherwise provide openings for mosquitoes to enter residences.
Use of air conditioning helps deter mosquitoes.
Empty standing water from outside containers, such as flowerpots, gutters, buckets, pool covers, pet water dishes, discarded tires and bird baths.
For additional information on preventing mosquito and tick-borne illnesses, visit www.cdc.gov/westnile/prevention/index.html.
For more information about West Nile Virus, visit www.cdc.gov/westnile/index.html.
Social Sharing