INDIAN RIVER COUNTY — Indian River County is officially under a West Nile Virus Alert, the Health Department announced Friday.
Until now, the county had been under a mosquito-borne illness advisory. There have now been confirmed infections of the West Nile Virus in a total of 41 chickens, 85 percent of the initial number in the flocks.
“Multiple infections have been confirmed in all flock locations, and residents of Indian River County should recognize that there is significant risk of human infection throughout the county,” the Health Department said in a prepared statement.
Indian River Mosquito Control District is monitoring eight flocks of sentinel chickens (six chickens per flock) located in different parts of the county. Tests performed on weekly blood samples from the chickens have confirmed widespread transmission of West Nile virus, which intensified in late September and October.
As with the chickens, residents continue to be in a period of unusual risk of West Nile virus infection.
Indian River Mosquito Control District continues to monitor the local West Nile virus situation in collaboration with Indian River County Health Department.
For more information, contact the Health Department at (772) 794-7440.
