West Nile virus confirmed in Putnam County mosquitos

Thursday, September 16, 2021

Indiana State Department of Health officials have confirmed the presence of West Nile virus in mosquitos in Putnam County. The sample was taken in Greencastle on Aug. 28.

As of Sept. 16, no human cases have been detected, however health officials are encouraging all Hoosiers to take steps to protect themselves from insects and diseases they may carry. The Indiana Department of Health expects to see increased West Nile activity throughout the state as the season progresses until the first freeze.

Recommended preventative measures include:

• Avoid being outdoors when mosquitos are active (especially late afternoon, dusk to dawn and early morning).

• Apply an EPA-registered insect repellent containing DEET, picaridin, IR3535, oil of lemon eucalyptus, para-menthane-diol or 2-undercanone to clothes and exposed skin.

• Cover exposed skin by wearing a hat, long-sleeved clothing and long pants in places where mosquitos are especially active such as wooded areas.

• Install or repair screens on windows and doors to keep mosquitos out of your home.

Containers as small as a bottle cap can be a mosquito breeding ground. The following steps should be taken to eliminate mosquito breeding grounds around your residency:

• Discard old tires, tin cans, ceramic pots, or any container that can hold water.

• Repair failed septic systems.

• Drill drainage holes in recycling bins or any containers left outdoors.

• Keep grass cut short and shrubbery trimmed.

• Clean out clogged roof gutters and downspouts.

• Frequently replace the water in pet bowls.

• Flush ornamental fountains and birdbaths periodically.

• Aerate ornamental pools or stock them with predatory fish.

The Indiana Department of Health states that West Nile virus disease is the most commonly reported mosquito-borne disease in Indiana and the United States. Most people who become infected with West Nile virus do not develop any symptoms, but some can develop severe inflammation in the brain, spinal cord or other parts of the nervous system.

If you think that you may have West Nile Virus disease, contact your primary care physician as soon as possible. To learn more about West Nile Virus, visit www.in.gov/health/erc/zoonotic-and-vectorborne-epidemiology-entomology/diseases/....

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  • mandate time

    -- Posted by beg on Thu, Sep 16, 2021, at 1:28 PM
  • Grow up! Is it fun for you to make light of a virus that has killed 667K American's compared to the 9 TOTAL 2021 US deaths from West Nile? Pathetic.

    -- Posted by BJCP96 on Thu, Sep 16, 2021, at 1:49 PM
  • On further reflection, rather than a social statement regarding mandates, I can see your point and apologize.

    -- Posted by beg on Thu, Sep 16, 2021, at 2:18 PM
  • Great, another illness to worry about.

    -- Posted by Queen53 on Thu, Sep 16, 2021, at 2:37 PM
  • *

    I wouldn't be surprised if they tried to institute a vaccine for this, or, if not a full on vaccine, then at least an additional element or component to the boosters they're pushing to accommodate it.

    But attribute whatever mortality counts you want to this "pandemic." Just know that when stories keep circulating about gunshot wound victims or people in car wrecks being chalked up as Covid-19 deaths, don't be naive in thinking the world should protect you from your own naivete once you realize that some people exist who might become skeptical of current information being released by outlets prone to informational manipulation. I mean, I'm not sure what's worse: people "making light" of the possibility that recent events could be used to justify a West Nile vaccine mandate or someone becoming offended by another raising those concerns.

    I remember when people rebuked the crazy notion that there would be a vaccine mandate for Covid-19. Those who entertained the ideas were always marginalized as conspiracy theorists, disregarded outright, and eventually censored away (these tactics always being employed by those who would always blame everyone else of being modern day Nazis). Lo and behold, here we are today reading hourly pieces about mask and vaccine mandates, required passports precluding entry to places like grocery stores, people having their livelihoods and educational opportunities revoked for no other reason than refusing a shot offered from those perceived as "medical experts" when there's been more than enough testimonials, data, and other stuff to be justifiably apprehensive about taking it.

    With each passing day, it inches closer and closer to a modern day Kristallnacht, something which is on schedule the more you see people whining about the unvaccinated rather than leaning on Occam's Razor and accepting the simple fact that there's more in play with these vaccines than anyone wants to admit: viral shedding is a thing and the vaccines can enable mutations, which is rather interesting when you consider the lower infection rates we saw before any vaccines were even available.

    -- Posted by DouglasQuaid on Fri, Sep 17, 2021, at 9:30 AM
  • *

    The Amateur Epidemiology Society reports in on West Nile!

    -- Posted by Bunny1E on Fri, Sep 17, 2021, at 6:05 PM
  • *

    And once again... when they can't attack the argument, they attack the person.

    Silly Rabbit, if you have a counter-point, you are welcome to put it out there.

    -- Posted by dreadpirateroberts on Fri, Sep 17, 2021, at 6:28 PM
  • “and the vaccines can enable mutations”.

    I’m really not sure what you mean by this, but I’ll take a stab in the dark. If you are implying that vaccinated people can get infected and be the host generator of a new mutated strain, that is correct. However that is much more likely to occur in unvaccinated people, as they are more likely to get infected. Follow the data on that one.

    “the lower infection rates we saw before any vaccines were even available.”

    It’s called the delta variant, we have known it is more infectious for many months now, ever since it originated in India. No need to try to manufacture a conspiracy theory here and try to suggest the vaccine is to blame for higher infection rates.

    -- Posted by Koios on Fri, Sep 17, 2021, at 8:17 PM
  • "And once again... when they can't attack the argument, they attack the person." -- What argument? That Covid 19 is similar to West Nile? Even you are smarter than that DPR.

    -- Posted by BJCP96 on Fri, Sep 17, 2021, at 8:32 PM
  • To all- this started with me making a comment that shouldn’t be made. It was called out. I apologized. I have no issue being called out as it was proper

    The rest can be discussed when it comes up again in another thread.

    -- Posted by beg on Sat, Sep 18, 2021, at 8:10 AM
  • *

    >The rest can be discussed when it comes up again in another thread.

    beg, it started after you expressed an opinion that someone else lectured you about, but I determine for myself when I'm done discussing it. Your capitulation aside, though, I (and many others, I'm sure) appreciate your offer of permission to discuss something.

    ---

    BJCP96, my comments weren't as much about comparing one thing to another as it was trying to expose how so many (leadership, "the experts", people in general, whoever) try to turn an inch into a proverbial mile during their quest to exploit situations for their own gain or control, a lesson so often missed by people who gloss over more abstract elements of a circumstance.

    And for whatever it's worth, you're no more an authority in any of this than anyone else is, so to see you myopically-chide DPR for whatever qualifies in your head as "common sense" is something I wouldn't advise doing.

    ---

    Koios, I accept data and transform that into information that makes sense to me, but part of the problem is that so many sources come with so many logical inconsistencies that it makes it extremely difficult to believe anyone previously viewed as an authority. The W.H.O., Dr. Fauci, the C.D.C., F.D.A., any media outlets, the various educational journals from prestigious institutions, the current or past administrations... They *all* have their informational lapses, some being accidental, others reeking of intent and saturated with bias or wicked agendas. As far as I'm concerned, none of the sources can be completely trusted (nor ruled-out) which leads me (like so many others) to piecemeal things on their own and form proprietary conclusions. The good news is that by my doing this, I'm only doing what everyone else is where they cherry-pick points they value to form their own conclusions. So I guess it's true when they say on the radio every 15 minutes, "we're all in this together!"

    > It’s called the delta variant,

    I think it's actually called "SARS-CoV-2," an RNA virus whose very nature it is to mutate, a result of its initial efforts failing when trying to attach to the host's genes for infection (byproduct of bypassing defenses). Using any vaccine defense system increases the likelihood of said failures, hence the increased number of variants we're seeing (including your "delta variant"). The more vaccination attempts or boosters we try to use, the more the likelihood is that mutations will keep occurring. This results in pandemic tail-chasing.

    ...and we've also known that the new strains tend to be less dangerous, too, leading many to question the virtue of boosters in general, rather than just "gutting it out" for heard immunity. And nobody knows where any of it came from, so you can flush your India conviction, regardless of whoever or whatever you got that idea from. Nobody will ever know where it really came from.

    >No need to try to manufacture a conspiracy theory here and try to suggest the vaccine is to blame for higher infection rates.

    It was a conspiracy theory back when people mused about the possibility of mandated clothing, mandated vaccines, and mandated passports for your next purchase of milk. At this rate, I'll determine for myself what constitutes a conspiracy theory. Besides, you're no more an authority in any of this than BJCP96 is. To be honest, I'm hesitant to believe we even have any authorities in this who are worth believing anymore. If we did, we wouldn't be having these kinds of exchanges.

    -- Posted by DouglasQuaid on Sat, Sep 18, 2021, at 12:16 PM
  • “ The more vaccination attempts or boosters we try to use, the more the likelihood is that mutations will keep occurring. This results in pandemic tail-chasing.”

    The virus mutates when it replicates in infected persons. The unvaccinated are much more likely to become infected. Those are facts.

    -- Posted by Koios on Sat, Sep 18, 2021, at 1:34 PM
  • DouglasQuaid - if you for one second think I care anything at all about what you spew, you are wrong. I don't. Everything you post is nonsense. So I guess we are in agreement. :)

    -- Posted by BJCP96 on Sat, Sep 18, 2021, at 6:18 PM
  • west Nile is not new the only thing I'm mad about is that we have an Egyptian disease in Indiana. what are the 15,000 Haitians under the bridge in Texas bringing?

    -- Posted by davide_norris on Sat, Sep 18, 2021, at 7:09 PM
  • Egyptian disease?? West Nile Virus was first isolated from a human in Uganda in 1937.

    Also, more concerning than your Haitians should be what new coronavirus mutations are those unvaccinated in our county allowing to occur?

    -- Posted by Koios on Sat, Sep 18, 2021, at 8:41 PM
  • *

    >DouglasQuaid - if you for one second think I care anything at all about what you spew, you are wrong. I don't. Everything you post is nonsense. So I guess we are in agreement. :)

    BJCP96, we can keep going 20 rounds here about that but you already revealed your hand that you're playing with. You're not fooling anyone. You absolutely DO care, but if whispering to yourself those sweet little nothings somehow gets you your 8 hours each night, hey, have at it.

    ---

    >The unvaccinated are much more likely to become infected. Those are facts.

    Koios, as long as the vaccine works for the individual(s) in question, I'd completely agree to that. In fact, if we were supplied a vaccine that was actually as effective and tested as, say, the polio or smallpox vaccines, I'd be all for taking it and encourage those around me to follow suit. Thing is, the current vaccines appear to hinge on margins and as such, it justifiably makes those skeptical of it opt for approaches they deem more appropriate for their lifestyles. It's also worth considering how health requirements (especially those related to these specific vaccines we're constantly being nagged to go out and get jabbed with) can be very relative to the respective individuals who take them. They need more individualized testing to be sure no unforeseen complications arise within selected scenario critera, something that medical personnel should be doing more of but can't as they simply obey whoever it is they deem as having already done it. I'm not convinced there's been enough of this, and if you're smart, neither should you. Hey, if you've already taken it and know billions of people who have who all never experienced any bad side effects, great! That doesn't mean I won't and until I know that I'll be okay, I'm not taking any unnecessary risk. I believe these vaccines have been rushed, a fact proven by how they apparently do nothing to prevent transmission nor (in many cases) actual infection since many cases are making headlines about contracting it despite being fully vaccinated. There's also too many stories circulating about heart inflammation and sterility post-vaccination. I'm not sure if any of those cases are true, but as long as those stories keep making the rounds, I'm going to keep doing what I think is best for myself. But adding to the factual pile is the simple fact that people experiencing hardships (or full on death) from the virus are those usually linked to preexisting conditions or suffering from levels of obesity. Adding to these facts are how living a healthy lifestyle by embracing a daily fitness regimen or proper caloric intake reduces the likelihood of being unable to overcome the infection, should it even happen. But of course, it's impossible to admit that when it's easier for those more at-risk to simply make others accommodate their poor health decisions via forcing things like social distancing, lock downs, injections, passports... These people are the real problem.

    >Also, more concerning than your Haitians should be what new coronavirus mutations are those unvaccinated in our county allowing to occur?

    Perhaps you missed the memo about others being under no obligations to ensure your safe space? The reality is that your type can't reconcile living in a world full of risk alongside individual freedom, especially when it's crammed into your head day in and day out by the likes of mainstream outlets and their elitist stewards that you should always assume danger where none may exist, something that's been put on steroids in recent events using the pandemic banner... So, instead of blaming your beloved political leaders or "medical experts" for pushing a vaccine that might be as effective against this thing as eating better or getting more exercise is, you'd rather blame the unvaccinated for using their god-given rights to refuse a vaccine that never really completely protected anyone. Yeah, right... In fact, it's absurd to even keep calling it a vaccine when in reality, it's more of a "therapeutic." You can sit there and claim that it's fact how this vaccine is an almighty solution which reduces likelihood of infection rates, but when we hear about numbers being manipulated with the counts your team keeps using to drive that point home, it makes it impossible to believe. But by all means, keep whining about the unvaccinated and keep claiming this or that. Treat yourself.

    -- Posted by DouglasQuaid on Sun, Sep 19, 2021, at 10:54 AM
  • “Perhaps you missed the memo about others being under no obligations to ensure your safe space?”

    Lol, I’m not worried about my safety. I don’t know why you think I would be. I’m more concerned about the elderly and immuno-compromised people the longer the unvaccinated allow this virus to circulate. Yes, there are instances of vaccinated people testing positive, but the chances of getting the virus are way higher in the unvaccinated population. True patriots care about all Americans, not just themselves.

    -- Posted by Koios on Sun, Sep 19, 2021, at 11:04 AM
  • I’m sure back in the old days people would have been thrilled to take vaccines if there was a chance it would save lives. Now, people are arguing and complaining about vaccines, masks, quarantines. Knock it off already.

    -- Posted by Queen53 on Sun, Sep 19, 2021, at 5:25 PM
  • I had covid in april of last year. i now have active antibodies in my system. why would i take a shot that is unnecessary? this "vaccine" is no more a vaccine than i am a snail. by all means if you think it may help you go right ahead. what did reagan say about the government? something along the lines about the most scary words in the english language being "I'm from the government and I'm here to help"

    -- Posted by davide_norris on Sun, Sep 19, 2021, at 6:35 PM
  • *

    >True patriots care about all Americans, not just themselves.

    Right, because nothing screams "patriotism" more than telling other people what to wear, enforcing walkway paths, instituting mass lockdowns and visitation restrictions, mandating injections, and demanding papers before your next purchase of milk at the local grocery store. Yeah, sure... Funny enough, there's an interesting parallel between being innocent until proven guilty and this paradoxical course we're on where we (actually, people like you) assume a danger is instigated by an antagonist before knowing an actual antagonist is actually instigating a danger. Your team also loves to put the onus of inconvenience upon others rather than accepting responsibility of their own preventative avoidance. I mean, if you really cared about others, you'd be dressed in hazmat during your forays to Dollar General and follow the strictest healthy lifestyle choices possible to avoid bad contributions to our medical actuary bucket... Since you don't do that, you can save your holier-than-thou balderdash.

    You clearly can't see all of that and appreciate it enough to understand the relationship it has to our forebears. Patriot? Pfft... You're just a simple idiot who needs to go back to suckling his CNN teet.

    And Queen53, stop telling others what to do. It didn't work for you in the gas station men's room and it won't work for you now.

    -- Posted by DouglasQuaid on Sun, Sep 19, 2021, at 7:48 PM
  • I don’t watch CNN, thanks for assuming though. And there’s a reason polio is not a problem anymore. That reason is the polio vaccine. I’m sorry you cannot make that connection. But I’m not surprised by that either.

    -- Posted by Koios on Sun, Sep 19, 2021, at 9:11 PM
  • Shouldn't "true Patriots" value all people, no matter the nationality? Statement seemed to have some discriminatory elements to it.

    I am also curious what is the definition of a "true Patriot"? This could be quite an educational experience.

    -- Posted by beg on Sun, Sep 19, 2021, at 9:38 PM
  • True patriots care about their neighbors, and also care about the people that are most vulnerable to a virus circulating not only this county, this state, and this country. It is pretty simple.

    -- Posted by Koios on Sun, Sep 19, 2021, at 10:08 PM
  • The polio vaccine actually prevents you from getting polio….. None of the Covid vaccines prevent you from contracting it or spreading it. So…. There’s that.

    -- Posted by hometowngirl626 on Mon, Sep 20, 2021, at 12:05 AM
  • The Covid vaccines were never advertised to do that. They do reduce infection rates and drastically reduce the hospitalization and death rate. So there’s that.

    -- Posted by Koios on Mon, Sep 20, 2021, at 6:07 AM
  • Actually they were, get the shot stop the spread. That’s exactly how they were advertised in the beginning. Protect the vulnerable, but it doesn’t stop you from spreading it, or getting it. Hence all the break through cases.

    -- Posted by hometowngirl626 on Mon, Sep 20, 2021, at 6:52 AM
  • @Koios, vaccinated people are currently being infected at higher rates and carrying higher viral loads than people with acquired immunity from natural infection. Vaccinated people are carrying an infection with few if any symptoms, making them ideal incubators and spreaders.

    The rest, I’m really tired of arguing about so whatever.

    -- Posted by techphcy on Mon, Sep 20, 2021, at 7:42 AM
  • I say Axios and KOS

    -- Posted by beg on Mon, Sep 20, 2021, at 9:13 AM
  • *

    @techphcy, to be honest, I'm with you on that: I get tired of arguing about these things, too, and I used to just keep quiet whenever controversial subjects popped up... The problem with that approach is that when you stay quiet, you run the risk of being disregarded whenever laws get introduced or policies get made. Sooner or later, people get forced to make noise, whether it be with docile dialogue or adversarial screeching. Like that old quote said, "They came for X, and then they came for Y, and when they came me, I no longer had anyone to help me," or something along those lines. (I'm too lazy to look it up but you get the point.)

    -- Posted by DouglasQuaid on Mon, Sep 20, 2021, at 10:54 AM
  • “ vaccinated people are currently being infected at higher rates and carrying higher viral loads than people with acquired immunity from natural infection.”

    I’d love to see a reputable source on this, because it’s not even close to accurate.

    -- Posted by Koios on Mon, Sep 20, 2021, at 4:11 PM
  • Who would be reputable besides Axios and KOS?

    -- Posted by beg on Mon, Sep 20, 2021, at 6:14 PM
  • I don’t even know what those are, but how about a peer reviewed study?

    -- Posted by Koios on Mon, Sep 20, 2021, at 7:19 PM
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