Salt Lake County child contracts West Nile

A Salt Lake County child has contracted West Nile virus, after an exposure believed to have occurred while on a camping trip in the Uintah Mountains.

And Tuesday, health officials announced the virus has been detected in mosquito pools in the south end of Utah County as well.

The Salt Lake child was sickened with West Nile fever, a milder form of the virus, and is recuperating at home, according to Salt Lake Valley Health Department officials.

It's the second human case in Utah this year. Two weeks ago, Tri-County Health director Joseph Shaffer announced an adult in Uintah County had been sickened by the virus.

Prevention measures include using mosquito repellent with DEET, Piacardin, or oil of lemon eucalyptus or IR3535, donning long sleeves and pants when outdoors between dusk and dawn and getting rid of standing water in containers.

The virus has also been detected in Kane, Uintah and Millard counties so far.

The Utah Department of Health updates the count on its Web on Wednesday afternoons. The updates can be found at www.health.utah.gov/epi.