First West Nile Virus Mosquito Of 2020 Detected In New Jersey

If your 2020 bingo card includes "potentially deadly mosquito-borne diseases", congratulations, you just got another square.

Officials say that the first West Nile virus infected mosquito of 2020 was just identified in south Jersey.

The Press of Atlantic City reports that the bug was collected in Hammonton by the Atlantic County Office of Mosquito Control.

The story goes on to say that they haven't had any cases of humans infected with the potentially deadly disease, but the positive test of the mosquito is causing officials to ramp up their surveillance, prevention, and education efforts.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the West Nile Virus is the most common mosquito-borne disease in the U.S. and while being bitten by an infected mosquito isn't necessarily a death sentence, the CDC says that, "about 1 out of 150 infected people develop a serious, sometimes fatal, illness".

The Atlantic County Division of Public Health provides a checklist on their website to help residents minimize opportunities for mosquitoes to breed on their property.

The checklist offers suggestions like clearing gutters, fixing leaking pipes and hoses, and removing standing water from things like kiddie pools, boats that might be stored on your property, and other common culprits.

You can click here for the full checklist from the Atlantic County Division of Public Health.

You can check out the full article on the Hammonton West Nile mosquito by clicking here.

And you can click here for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's official guide to West Nile virus in the U.S.