The Toledo-Lucas County Health Department announced today one mosquito in the area has tested positive for West Nile virus.

The Toledo Area Sanitary District said the mosquito was collected in a trap in Wildwood Metropark in mid-July.

“There is no need to panic,” said Shannon Lands, health department spokesman.

People just need to be aware and follow the normal precautions to protect themselves from mosquito bites, she said.

West Nile is commonly found in mosquitoes in northwest Ohio in late summer. So far this year, there have been no confirmed cases of people contracting the disease from mosquitoes. There were two mosquito-related West Nile cases in Lucas County in 2015 and zero cases in 2014, Ms. Lands said.

The sanitary district will be increasing treatment efforts in the area surrounding Wildwood park over the next several days, she said.

According to the Centers for Disease Control, West Nile virus is commonly spread by infected mosquitoes. About 1 in 5 people who are infected will develop a fever with other symptoms. Less than one percent of infected people develop a serious, sometimes fatal, neurologic illness.

The health department suggests people use insect repellent containing DEET whenever mosquitoes are present and wear long, loose and light-colored clothing and socks when outdoors.

Contact Marlene Harris-Taylor at: mtaylor@theblade.com, 419-724-6091, or on Twitter @marlenetaylor48.

First Published August 4, 2016, 6:22 p.m.