Galen, NY – The Monroe County Health Department is urging everyone to take greater precautions against mosquitoes.
The department said it confirmed a case of a potentially fatal virus in a horse in Galen in Wayne County.
Eastern equine encephalomyelitis is a rare but serious viral disease transmitted by mosquitoes that can affect humans and horses.
People of all ages are susceptible, but people over 50 and under 15 are most at risk of contracting the virus.
Severe cases may begin with sudden onset of headache, high fever, chills and vomiting. The disease is fatal in about a third of people with severe symptoms.
The authority recommends taking precautions to avoid mosquito bites:
- Use insect repellent correctly
- Limit outdoor activities in areas where mosquitoes are most active
- Wear long-sleeved shirts, long pants, shoes and socks
- Repair or replacement of all window and door grilles
- Reduction or elimination of standing water
- Emptying or disposing of buckets, cans, flower pots or similar water containers
- Cleaning gutters, removing leaves from yards and gardens, and removing vegetation and debris from the edge of ponds
- Turning wheelbarrows and paddling pools over when not in use
- Cleaning and chlorination of swimming pools, outdoor saunas, whirlpools and pool drain covers
- Twice weekly water changes in bird baths and horse troughs
- Properly dispose of old tires or other areas where water can collect
