Health District Fights West Nile in Clark County

Two human cases of West Nile virus were confirmed Wednesday morning in Clark County.

Clark County Joint Health District Environmental Health Director Larry Shaffer said the cases were located in the western and southeastern parts of Springfield.

"In the last five years, we've only had one and you can see where we are," he said.

Shaffer said the health district was trying to raise awareness of the disease by going door-to-door in affected neighborhoods and distributing information. As of September 10, there were 18 cases of West Nile virus in humans.

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According to the health district, eight out of ten people will not develop symptoms of West Nile, but those who show signs will do so between three and fourteen days after being bitten. Symptoms include fever, headache, muscle aches, nausea, vomiting, or rash.

In difficult circumstances, West Nile can cause brain swelling, coma or even death.

Treatment of West Nile virus is based on symptoms, according to the health district.

There are several tips to follow to avoid illness – one of the most important is the elimination of stagnant water around your house where mosquitoes can reproduce. This means bird baths, pet water bowls or even gutters and downspouts.

"They get clogged up and they hold back water and you can not see it – naturally because they are higher than most people can see," Shaffer said. "We encourage people to go out as soon as possible. Unloading water every seven days will reduce the risk of larvae becoming adult mosquitoes. "

Another quick way to repel insects is to cover with long sleeves and pants or to wear an insect repellent. Shaffer said that DEET is the active ingredient to look for when buying an insect repellent.

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Susan Farries lives in one of the affected areas and said that although her bird baths are far from home, there are still many mosquitoes.

She said she was trying to take the necessary precautions, such as emptying her on the outside of the cat's water dish and wearing an insect repellent every time she went out. She encourages others to do the same.

"I know (the insect spray) is a bit expensive, but it's worth it. Your life is worth it, "she said.

The health district said it would apply a special product at night to control the adult mosquito population. The product is safe for humans and pets, but residents concerned about the treatment may contact the health district and request that their application be limited.

The district said it has been in contact with local doctors to quickly diagnose West Nile virus, and will continue to monitor the virus in other parts of the county.