Category — Health & Wellness

Close Encounter with Bears? Don’t panic: Remember, they are not grizzlies. Our local bears have an 80% Veggies, 10% insect, 10% easy meat (usually dead) diet.

If you don’t mind them being in your yard then enjoy!

If you do mind them being in your yard then treat them like a bad dog in your yard: yell at them and act silly scaring them away. Go ahead, have fun with this at least you will have an excuse. Use pots and pans, garbage can lids, air horns, your kid’s trumpet, and don’t forget that shiny, noisy rain slicker. Let your imagination run wild. [Read more →]

What Is West Nile Virus?

West Nile Virus (WNV) is a mosquito-borne virus which can cause West Nile encephalitis (inflammation of the brain). Although this virus is commonly found in Africa, West Asia and the Middle East, it is believed that the virus appeared in the eastern United States sometime in the summer of 1999. It is closely related to the St. Louis encephalitis virus commonly found in the southeastern and mid-western U.S., and only rarely in the northeast.

Over the last several years, public health and mosquito control professionals have heightened surveillance efforts to determine the most effective methods of mosquito control.

For more information, link to the County Website Page on West Nile Virus.

What is Lyme Disease?

Lyme Disease is an infection caused by a spirochete [spy'-ro-keet], which is a type of bacteria. The disease is carried primarily by “Black-Legged Ticks” (also commonly known as “deer ticks”), and can be transmitted to both animals and humans through tick bites. In New Jersey, this tick is primarily responsible for the spread of Lyme disease.

Hunterdon County continues to have one of the highest rates of Lyme disease in the country, most likely due to its heavily-wooded environment and high deer population.

Because of these facts, it is important that county residents be particularly aware of the signs and symptoms of Lyme disease, and that we learn to follow a few simple precautions to help protect ourselves and our families.

• To get a printable tick identification card, click here [pdf file - Adobe Acrobat Reader Required]
• For more information and to get a Lyme Prevention fact sheet for parents, link to the County Website Page on Lyme Disease
• Also on the web visit, The Lyme Disease Network