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National and local health departments remind people of the causes and ways to prevent the spread of West Nile virus after the first human case in Nebraska was reported recently in Scotts Bluff County in the United States. Western Nebraska
. The Scotts Bluff County man who contracted the infectious disease is between 50 and 70 years old and spends time outdoors, according to Paulette Schnell, director of the Scotts Bluff Health Department. The man was not hospitalized.
Tom Safranek, state epidemiologist, said that there would probably be more cases of the virus this year.
Mosquitoes from Lancaster and Phelps counties tested positive for the virus. Nebraska recorded 68 human cases of the virus and two deaths in 2016.
According to Amy Roberts, disease surveillance coordinator and Three Rivers health educator, West Nile virus is transmitted by the bites of infected mosquitoes.
People Can Reduce Their Risk of Getting West Nile Virus Before
- Using a Repellent That Contains DEET
- Wearing Long Sleeve Shirts, Long Pants , shoes, and socks
- Take extra care when going out at dawn and dusk when mosquitoes are most active
- Removing stagnant water where mosquitoes breed
"We recommend to dump water around the house. a kiddie pool or tires lying around, dropping them periodically after rainstorms and things like that, "said Roberts. "Because these are the sites where mosquitoes breed, the fewer mosquitoes around, the better it is to get in touch with a mosquito that has West Nile virus."
the disease will show no symptoms or mild flu-like signs. Some may experience headaches, body aches, vomiting, fatigue or weakness. The disease can be fatal. According to local health authorities, there are no vaccines to prevent the virus or the medicine from treating it.
Most people who are infected have no symptoms or only mild flu-like symptoms, said the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services. Release. About 1 in 5 people develop fever and other symptoms.
"About 1 in every 150 people infected develops a serious, sometimes fatal illness," the statement said. "People over 50 and those with weakened immune systems are particularly vulnerable to the disease and are more likely to suffer serious consequences."
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