PHOTO: ADOBE STOCK

Get out the bug spray and be mindful about covering up at dusk and dawn.

Mosquitoes infected with West Nile Virus have been found in six Pittsburgh neighborhoods, so Allegheny County Health Department officials are urging people to stay alert.

While there have been no reported human cases of West Nile Virus as of July 8, the virus spreads to people bitten by infected mosquitoes. The last human cases in the region were reported approximately a year ago. 

“Generally, the species of mosquitoes that carry West Nile Virus are active from dusk to dawn,”

Allegheny County Health Department Vector Control Specialist Nicholas Baldauf said in a statement. “Residents can prevent mosquito bites by using insect repellent on exposed skin or choosing to wear long sleeves and pants. Both methods are effective at reducing or eliminating the possibility of getting a mosquito bite.”

Recent mosquito samples collected from Wilkinsburg, Schenley Park, Mount Washington, Beltzhoover, Mt. Oliver and Hazelwood tested positive for the virus.

Most people infected with West Nile Virus do not feel sick. One in five people infected with the virus develop a fever and other symptoms, such as a headache, body aches, joint pains, vomiting, diarrhea or rash, according to the health department.

Fewer than 1% percent of infected people develop serious illness.

There is no vaccination for West Nile Virus, but residents who believe they have been infected should consult a health care provider.

The health department warns that mosquitoes can breed in as little as a ½-inch of stagnant water, so residents should eliminate possible breeding sites like unused swimming pools, buckets, corrugated piping and clogged gutters.