The West Nile virus has been found for the first time in 2021 in Schuylkill County in Tamaqua, Pottsville, Schuylkill Haven and Cressona.

Kyle Schutt, insect management technician with the Schuylkill Conservation District and the coordinator for the virus program in the county, said Wednesday the first positive sample was collected Aug. 5 in Cressona and returned Aug. 9

Schutt said the combination of wet, hot and humid weather recently has been the “perfect” breeding ground for mosquitoes.

In Schuylkill Haven the first positive sample was collected Aug. 10 and results returned Aug. 16. Pottsville’s was collected Aug. 17 and reported Aug. 20. Schutt collected Tamaqua’s first positive sample Aug. 17 with results Aug. 20.

The first trap was set April 21.

The trap is filled with water and has a fan and a collection pan. When mosquitoes fly by the water, they are sucked into the pan. The mosquitoes are then sent to the state Department of Environmental Protection for testing if enough are collected.

The virus is named after the river in Egypt where it was first identified. It causes flulike symptoms and can cause swelling of the brain. Within three to 14 days symptoms can appear. The virus was first reported in Pennsylvania in 2000. People become infected when a mosquito bites them.

Schutt collected samples Wednesday in Tamaqua, Pottsville, Shenandoah, Mahanoy City and Ringtown.

“I got bit this morning,” he said.

He was wearing long pants and a T-shirt because it was hot. He used mosquito repellent.

“There was quite a few where I was,” he said.

In all, 10 fixed sites exist in the county, five in Pottsville, two in Schuylkill Haven, two in Cressona and one in Tamaqua.

Schutt also selects five municipalities countywide weekly for sample testing.

“Usually mid- to late summer is when we start to see it pick up,” he said of positive samples.

Lehigh County has 94 cases; Monroe, 6; and Northampton, 19. There is no surveillance in Carbon County, according to the state website.

Last year, 631 positive cases of the virus were found in the state, according to DEP. This year to date there are 1,058 cases.

Eight human cases were reported. Philadelphia had the most total positives at 119, and Delaware at 114. Schuylkill had 2 (Frackville and Pottsville); Berks, 20; Carbon, 0; Monroe, 4; Northampton, 1; and Lehigh, 7.

Additional information is on gis.dep.pa.gov.

Residents can reduce the likelihood of the virus in the area by eliminating standing water, and removing garbage and tires.

Residents with questions can call the Conservation District at 570-622-3742 or email Schutt at kschutt@co.schuylkill.pa.us.