West Nile virus was detected in three counties in Utah

West Nile virus was detected in three northern counties of Utah. It did not appear in humans at this report, but the Department of Health is concerned to report that the virus has been detected and to let people know that people and horses are more susceptible to the disease caused by the virus. Carolyn Murray has this:

Symptoms of West Nile virus may look like a cold … headache, fever, swollen lymph nodes. In rare cases, it can turn into meningitis, which is a serious disease. In August of last year, a man from Utah died of meningitis that would have resulted from West Nile. Carolyn Rose, director of nursing at the Summit County Health Department, says that most people who are bitten by mosquitoes do not feel any symptoms.

"Most people are healthy, by a mosquito carrying West Nile virus, can have no symptoms, other people will have fever and some of these people will have a fever. Fever high enough to require hospitalization Some people who really can not fight it all get the neuro-invasive disease that heals them and can actually kill them. "

West Nile appeared in the United States at the birds of the Bronx Zoo and dead crows in New York. There was a slight increase in West Nile Cases last year. Rose says that there could be different weather conditions or the virus becoming more resistant.

"It was in 2007 when we had our first wave of West Nile virus because it took us a long time to cross the country." Last year, in 2017, we have seen more human cases for years, since about 2007. "

She says mosquito control programs throughout the state are essential to inform health departments of active mosquitoes.

"Mosquito abatement plays a large role in monitoring West Nile, they regularly test stagnant water, some ponds as on wetlands, or ponds or sides of streams. monitor those starting in the spring through the fall, there were two birds, a raven and a red falcon that were tested and that were positive, they were in areas where there were also positive basins. "

Rose says most mosquitoes in Summit County do not carry the virus. She says the best way to prevent mosquito bites is to be aware of stagnant water where they can reproduce, use Deet and wear long sleeves.

Visit the Utah Health Department website for updates. West Nile virus test results. This is health.utah.gov for more information.