DEP to Step Up West Nile Surveillance in Buckingham

The Pennsylvania Department of Protection will be upping mosquito surveillance in Buckingham after a recent sampling detected West Nile Virus in the area. There are currently no plans to spray for mosquitos in Buckingham, spokeswoman Amanda Witman said Monday afternoon.

According to Witman, the sample that tested positive for West Nile was collected in Buckingham on July 23.

“At this point, there are no sprays planned” in Buckingham Witman said, adding that sprays are typically scheduled at the last minute. 

“Anytime we find a positive, we will step up our surveillance,” Witman said. If further surveillance indicates there is a risk to human health, “we will move forward with a spray.”

Falls Township in Bucks County will be sprayed Wednesday, Witman noted, adding the spraying is being done by the Bucks County West Nile Virus program.

According to the DEP, 38 mosquitos statewide tested positive for the virus in its most recent sampling. One of those mosquitoes was from Buckingham Township. A mosquito in New Britain Township also tested positive. 

Bucks County is listed as a hot zone for West Nile by the state Department of Environmental Protection. Two people in Bucks were sickened by West Nile last year.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, West Nile is transmitted via mosquitos and there are currently no medications to treat or vaccines to prevent WNV infection. 

“Fortunately, most people infected with WNV will have no symptoms. About 1 in 5 people who are infected will develop a fever with other symptoms. Less than 1 percent of infected people develop a serious, sometimes fatal, neurologic illness,” the CDC website says.