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West Nile Virus detected in Boundary County |
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July 25, 2014 |
Press release from Panhandle Health
District
Mosquitoes infected with West Nile virus (WNV)
have been detected in Boundary County. Panhandle
Health District reminds people to take
precautions to fight the bite. The positive
mosquitoes, collected on July 19, 2014, were
detected by the Boundary County Mosquito
Abatement Program in a trap collected in
Boundary County. This is the first detection of
WNV in northern Idaho; residents should take
precautions to avoid mosquito bites.
In 2006, Idaho led the nation in West Nile
illnesses with almost 1,000 infections, which
contributed to 23 deaths. In 2013, 40 human
cases were reported in 16 counties, and there
were two deaths. In 2013 and to date in 2014,
there have been no human cases of WNV in the
five northern counties of Idaho.
WNV is usually contracted from the bite of an
infected mosquito; it is not spread from
person-to-person through casual contact.
Symptoms of infection often include fever,
headache, body aches, nausea, vomiting, and
sometimes swollen lymph glands or a skin rash on
the chest, stomach, and back. In some cases the
virus can cause severe illness, especially in
people over the age of 50.
To reduce the likelihood of infection, avoid
mosquitoes, particularly between dusk and dawn
when they are most active. In addition, you
should:
-Cover up exposed skin when outdoors and apply DEET or
other EPA-approved insect repellent to exposed
skin and clothing. Carefully follow instructions
on the product label, especially for children.
-Insect-proof your home by repairing or replacing
screens.
-Reduce standing water on your property; check and
drain toys, trays or pots outdoors which may
hold water.
-Change bird baths and static decorative ponds weekly
as they may provide a suitable mosquito habitat.
WNV does not usually affect domestic animals,
including dogs and cats, but it can cause severe
illness in horses and certain species of birds.
Although there is no vaccine available for
people, there are several vaccines available for
horses. People are advised to keep their horses
vaccinated annually.
For more information, visit
www.westnile.idaho.gov |
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