SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO AM) - South Dakota’s first case of West Nile Virus was detected last week in a Minnehaha County teenager and mosquito pools in Lincoln and Brown counties have tested positive for the virus.
State Epidemiologist Dr. Lon Kightlinger say you can lower your risk.
Kightlinger advises that you use repellents especially in the evening close to dusk, wera long pants and long sleeves and give good support to your community's mosquito control team.
Kightlinger says the West Nile Virus has recently taken a backseat to another virus.
He says the Zika Virus is not in South Dakota and he doesn't expect to be in South Dakota because that mosquito that carries it isn't this far north. He also advises pregnant women to not go to Zika transmissions areas which is south of our border. Since its first human case in 2002, the state has reported 2,208 human cases, including 696 hospitalizations and 32 deaths. Every county has reported cases.
(Thanks Billy Lurken, KMIT Mitchell)