State lab Confirms West Nile Virus in Tennessee
June 22, 2011
Residents Strongly Encouraged to Take Precautions to Prevent Infection
Nashville, TN – The state Public Health Laboratory has confirmed West Nile Virus (WNV) in mosquitoes in Knoxville, Nashville and Memphis, prompting health officials to issue a statewide call to use repellents and take other precautions to prevent bites from mosquitoes and other insects.
These positive tests tell us that individuals bitten by mosquitoes in Tennessee could be at risk for contracting West Nile Virus, said Abelardo C. Moncayo, PhD, director of the Vector-Borne Diseases program for TDOH. We can help control mosquito populations and lessen the risk of infection by emptying containers with standing water, keeping doors and windows screened, and wearing mosquito repellent when outside. [Read more]
