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State DEP: Conditions ripe for spread of West Nile virus

Officials testing first suspected human case of the year

Pennsylvania officials are warning people to minimize their exposure to mosquitoes as testing is underway to confirm the suspected first case of human West Nile virus infection in the state this year.

The Department of Environ­mental Protection said it has found mosquitoes infected with the virus in 51 of Pennsylvania’s 67 counties. The only suspected human infection in the state is in Allegheny County.

Officials said recent heavy rains are creating conditions for the spread of West Nile, which has infected more than 150 people in the state over the past six years.

Limiting skin exposure and the use of insect repellants can help combat the spread of the virus.

Blair County has nearly the number of positive West Nile tests in mosquitoes and dead birds as all of its surrounding counties combined, state DEP figures show.

Through last week, 20 of 142 mosquitoes tested and three birds had tested positive for the West Nile virus in Blair County.

Bedford, Cambria, Centre, Clearfield and Huntingdon counties combined had 21 mosquitoes and eight birds with West Nile infections, DEP figures show.

The largest number of the mosquitoes testing positive in Blair County came from Altoona with nine.

Blair Township had four, Hollidaysburg and Logan Township had two each and one each was reported in Freedom and Allegheny townships.

Nearly all of the positives came in July testing with seven coming between July 24 and 26. Two of the three bird positives also came in that three-day period.

Statewide, 12 of the 23 bird positives were crows, five were hawks and four were great horned owls. One blue jay and one kestrel also tested positive for the virus.

For more information, go to http://www.westnile.state.pa.us/.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.

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