West Nile Virus in Broome County: Ways to Prevent Its Spread

BINGHAMTON (WBNG) – Very recently, two cases of West Nile virus have been reported and treated in Broome County. It is certainly a rare opportunity and people want to take all the measures to avoid contracting the virus.

According to health officials, these are the first cases of West Nile virus in Broome County since the early 2000s. Why do we suddenly see cases after almost 20 years?

We can all agree that this summer has been hot and humid. Most places are still quite humid because we have almost no time to dry up after the floods. Mosquitoes, the main vector of the virus, thrive in hot, humid environments. From there, they can bite humans, leaving an itchy red bump on our skin and most of us have had the misfortune to live. Aside from your typical mosquito bite, West Nile virus can seem like a cold or flu.

"The bottom line is to make sure the screens in your house are working well. You do not have stagnant water where mosquitoes can reproduce, "said Marianne Yourdon, a public health nurse from Broome County's Department of Health.

Most people who are infected with the virus have these minor symptoms, while only a small number of those infected would have more extreme symptoms and would require hospitalization. West Nile symptoms usually take 3 to 15 days to develop. Whatever the case may be, if you start to feel sick, consult a doctor immediately.

Detailed information could not be provided, but those who have recently contracted the virus seem to be doing better now.

"What I can say is that no patient has been hospitalized and is recovering," Yourdon said.

So of course, the hope is not to contract the virus. What can be done to prevent this? It all starts and ends with keeping mosquitoes away as best you can.

"The bottom line is to make sure the screens in your house are working well. That you do not have stagnant water where mosquitoes can reproduce, "said Yourdon.

Along with this, wearing long pants, long sleeved shirts and frequent application of an insect repellent on the outside can also prevent bites.

Most people do not like cold weather, but mosquitoes do not like it either. As the weather gets colder, we will have less to worry about mosquitoes and the diseases they can carry. For the moment, however, it is better to be cautious and to warn the best possible.