The Florida Department of Health in Pinellas County (DOH-Pinellas) has issued a health advisory to emphasize the importance for residents and visitors to protect against mosquito-borne illnesses.
This advisory is being issued due to 19 positive tests for West Nile Virus (WNV) in sentinel chickens from Pinellas County Mosquito Control coops. As a result, the risk of transmission to humans in the county has increased.

Pinellas County Mosquito Control and DOH-Pinellas continue surveillance and prevention efforts and encourage everyone to take basic precautions to avoid being bitten by mosquitoes that may cause West Nile Virus disease.

A total of four human cases of WNV illness acquired in Florida have been reported in 2015; one in Escambia County (July), one in Volusia County (July), and two in Walton County (June).

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