INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. (WOWO): According to the Indiana State Department of Health, mosquito samples from 35 counties have now tested positive for West Nile virus.

There has also been one human case of West Nile virus in Ripley County and one equine case in Adams County.

Counties with West Nile virus-infected mosquitoes include: Adams, Allen, Carroll, Clinton, Daviess, Delaware, DeKalb, Grant, Hamilton, Jay, Jefferson, Knox, Kosciusko, LaGrange, Lake, Marion, Marshall, Martin, Monroe, Montgomery, Morgan, Newton, Noble, Ohio, Parke, Steuben, Sullivan, Tippecanoe, Tipton, Starke, St. Joseph, Vanderburgh, Vigo, White and Whitley.

Health officials continue to encourage Hoosiers to take steps to protect themselves against the virus, which include:

      ·Avoid places where mosquitoes are biting;

      ·Apply insect repellent containing DEET, picaradin or oil of lemon eucalyptus to clothes and exposed skin;

      ·Install or repair screens on windows and doors to keep mosquitoes out of the home; and,

      ·When possible, wear pants and long sleeves, especially if walking in wooded or marshy areas.

To reduce potential mosquito breeding grounds:

      ·Discard old tires, tin cans, ceramic pots or other containers that can hold water;

      ·Repair failed septic systems;

      ·Drill holes in the bottom of recycling containers left outdoors;

      ·Keep grass cut short and shrubbery trimmed;

      ·Clean clogged roof gutters, particularly if leaves tend to plug up the drains;

      ·Frequently replace the water in pet bowls;

      ·Flush ornamental fountains and birdbaths periodically; and,

      ·Aerate ornamental pools, or stock them with predatory fish.