By By Lydia Grimes
features reporter
Simple precautions to combat mosquitoes can help protect residents against West Nile virus, health department officials said.
Earlier this week, the Escambia County Health Department announced that West Nile virus had been found in a sentinel chicken in the Riverview area.
The sentinel chickens in Riverview, Brewton, Appleton, Pollard, Flomaton and Atmore are part of a mosquito control program for which the health department received a $500,000 grant last year, Escambia County Health Department environmentalist Josh Coleman said.
Coleman said reducing exposure to mosquitoes can help prevent bites — and West Nile.
Brewton, East Brewton and Escambia County have trucks out spraying to combat the mosquito population.
Tony Sanks, Escambia County administrator, said the county has one truck that sprays all over the county.
The city of Brewton also sprays the city for mosquitoes. Danny Howard, superintendent of Streets and Sanitation for the city, said workers spray once a week.
The West Nile virus, EEE and other mosquito-born viruses are transmitted from bird to mosquito to bird. Sometimes the mosquitoes will take blood from a person, causing that person to become ill. It is important to try to keep the mosquito population down, while at the same time preventing them from biting humans.