In its ongoing effort to protect citizens from mosquito-borne disease such as West Nile virus, the Maricopa County Departments of Public Health and Environmental Services work closely together.

With the recent wet weather it has become even more important to be vigilant.

As part of that effort Environmental Services has the tough job of locating areas where there is a lot of mosquito activity, catching those mosquitoes and then testing them to see if they have the virus.

They are also responding to all complaints related to green pools, stagnant water, dead birds and of course mosquitoes.

Raymond Rees, Town of Fountain Hills facilities and environmental supervisor, said Maricopa County Vector Control responded to several complaints in Fountain Hills and set out half a dozen mosquito traps last week.

Those were all retrieved within a day. The captured mosquitoes are tested for West Nile and if there are any positive tests fogging is scheduled.

As of this writing no fogging had been scheduled for Fountain Hills.

Public Health works with Environmental on the human side of the virus. Working with hospitals throughout the county, Public Health does human surveillance trying to find hot spots in the Valley and monitoring any patients that come in with potential WNV symptoms.

Together both departments work to educate the public about what they can do to protect themselves and their family from contracting WNV.

As of July, Maricopa County Department of Public Health had reported three confirmed human cases of West Nile virus infection this season.

West Nile virus can cause severe illness in people and horses, although only about 20 percent of those infected will develop any symptoms at all, usually flu-like: fever, headache, body aches, and muscle weakness. Some people, especially the elderly, may experience more severe symptoms including high fever, severe headache, neck stiffness, and/or encephalitis or inflammation of brain, which can lead to paralysis or death.

West Nile virus is transmitted through the bite of an infected mosquito. Maricopa County Health officials urge all people to “Fight the Bite” and follow simple precautions to avoid mosquitoes and the diseases they may carry:

*Avoid outside activity between dusk and dawn, when mosquitoes are most active.

*Wear lightweight clothing that covers your arms and legs and use an insect repellent if you must be outdoors when mosquitoes are active.

*Make sure doors and windows have tight fitting screens and remain closed.

*Eliminate mosquito-breeding sites around the home by removing standing water in potted plants, tires, bird baths and other containers where water may collect.

*Ensure that swimming pools and decorative water features are properly maintained.

*Change water in flowerpots, birdbaths and pet watering bowls located outdoors at least twice per week.

Many vector control programs around the state have been treating mosquito breeding habitats and some counties have been fogging to kill the specific mosquitoes that spread West Nile virus. If you notice green pools in your neighborhood, talk to your neighbors or notify Maricopa County Environmental Services.

In Maricopa County, for more information on West Nile virus, to set-up an appointment to obtain mosquito eating fish at no cost to you, to report green pools, file any mosquito related complaint, register on the Fogging Notification System or for WNV materials or presentations for your group/organization, please call the West Nile Virus General Information and Help Line at (602) 506-0700, or visit www.maricopa.gov/wnv.