The West Nile virus has been detected in the county for the first time this year in Gilberton.
A mosquito sample testing positive for the virus was found July 9 in the borough. So far, that is the only county municipality to have samples of infected mosquitoes, according to data at the state's West Nile Virus Control Program website at www.westnile.state.pa.us.
"It's been a more mild year but that can change at the drop of the hat. It (West Nile virus) could start exploding tomorrow," Amanda Witman, spokesman for the state Department of Environmental Protection, said Friday.
No human cases have been reported this year as of Sunday. Last year, a man from Bucks County died as a result of West Nile virus. There were a total of 11 cases of the virus in humans in five counties in 2013.
To date, 54 mosquito samples have been collected in Schuylkill County and 37 have been tested, resulting in the positive test sample derived from Gilberton.
While some may attribute the lack of human infection and few infected mosquito samples this year to the harsher than normal winter, Witman said the winter weather has nothing to do with the mosquito population.
"They are very reactionary," she said of mosquitoes.
Eliminating standing water is one action county residents can take to reduce the chance of West Nile virus becoming a problem or spreading, she said. Cleaning recycling bins, clogged gutters and other areas where water could accumulate and mosquitoes breed is also essential to reducing the risk of infected mosquitoes passing on the virus to other animals or humans.
"If you find your area is extremely heavy with mosquitoes, please call us" at 717-346-8243, she said.
In the state, Lower Paxton Township, Dauphin County, had the first reported case of the virus this year on May 13. The first reported case of the virus last year was in Harbor Creek Township, Erie County, on May 22.
As of Friday, the state control program had detected the West Nile virus in mosquitoes from 24 of 67 counties in the state - a total of 71 samples of mosquitoes. There have been no cases of the virus being found in birds or veterinary animals, according to state data.
In 2013, 42 of the 67 counties tested positive for the virus. There were 1,254 samples of mosquitoes statewide that tested positive for West Nile virus and the first case of the virus in mosquitoes in Schuylkill County was July 26.
This year, Adams County has the most mosquito samples testing positive for West Nile virus at 10; Dauphin and Delaware counties each have seven; Berks County has six; Cumberland County has five; and Chester and Franklin counties are at fifth highest with four positive test samples each.
Witman said no mosquito spraying is planned for the county at this time since Schuylkill County is at low risk for the virus.
The virus is most often spread by mosquitoes but also through blood transfusions, organ transplants, breast feeding and during pregnancy, according to a fact sheet from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The virus causes flu-like symptoms and can result in encephalitis, an inflammation of the brain. Infected people may show symptoms three to 14 days after being bitten by a mosquito carrying West Nile virus.
No cases of West Nile virus were found in the United States before 1999 and it was first detected in Pennsylvania in 2000. It is named after the area in Uganda where it first appeared in 1937, according to www.westnile.state.pa.us.