Recent Ohio Flooding Increases the Risk of Mosquito-Related Diseases

According to an official statement released by the Ohio Department of Health, the recent Ohio flooding due to abundant rainfall in June has increased the number of mosquitoes in the area. The experts advise people to protect themselves from mosquitoes because some of them are carrying infections and viruses, including the West Nile virus.

The officials from the Ohio Department of Health believe the mosquito population will increase, especially in the regions where pooling water is a factor. The Ohio flooding in June aided the mosquito population to thrive. The department said that although mosquitoes that live around floodwater do not pose a major threat to human health, flooding conditions can be the proper breeding ground for some dangerous species of insects as well.

Back in June, the researchers from the Ohio Department of Health released a statement in which they announced that five mosquitoes tested positive for the West Nile virus in Ohio. But Ohio was not the only state where the scientists found mosquitoes carrying the West Nile virus. The Indiana State Department of Health also said it had three confirmed cases of the virus.

According to the official statement released by the Ohio department, the situation hasn’t been this serious in years. The recent Ohio flooding has attracted many disease-carrying mosquitoes and people should be very careful and avoid getting stung by them. However, the current situation is not as bad as it was in 2002 and 2012, when there was a massive outbreak.

The health officials advise people to follow some tips in order to avoid getting bit by the insects. They recommend that people should apply on their skin EPA mosquito repellent every time they go outside and mosquitoes might be present. They also suggest wearing long, loose clothing, preferably light-colored to protect the skin. Experts advise people to install screens on doors and windows to keep the mosquitoes from getting inside the house.

Another efficient way to keep mosquitoes away is to empty any recipients that could hold standing water, recipients like buckets and flowerpots, even gutters and other objects where standing water might accumulate. Experts say that standing water is one of the mosquitoes’ favorite breeding grounds.

Health officials said there haven’t been any cases of people getting infected with the West Nile virus yet, but things could change and people should always be cautious. Last year, 11 people were diagnosed with the West Nile virus, according to medical records.
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