(Wauseon, OH) As you enjoy more time outside due to cooler weather, fall sports, family picnics, working, hunting, and camping, your Fulton County Health Department encourages you to protect yourself from mosquito-borne disease. As of August 18, 2015, a total of 45 states have reported West Nile virus infections in people, birds, or mosquitoes in 2015. Overall, 210 cases of West Nile virus (WNV) disease in people in the U.S. required medical attention and were reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Of these, 126 (60%) were classified as potentially life-threatening neurologic illness (such as meningitis or encephalitis) and 84 (40%) were classified as the less severe non-neurologic illness (headache, body aches, joint pains, vomiting, diarrhea, or rash). In Ohio, there have been nine reported human cases of WNV disease in Ohio this year in six counties – Cuyahoga, Franklin, Hamilton, Lucas, Lorain and Williams. In recent years, Ohio reported 11 WNV cases in 2014, 24 in 2013, and 122 in 2012.
The recent death of a 91-year-old West Nile Virus case from Williams County reminds us of the serious importance of preventing mosquito bites, eliminating mosquito breeding sites and knowing the symptoms of WNV disease.
The primary way people get WNV disease is through the bite of an infected mosquito. Most people who become infected with WNV do not have any symptoms. About one in five people who become infected develop a fever with other symptoms such as headache, body aches, joint pains, vomiting, diarrhea, or rash. Less than 1 percent of infected people develop a serious neurologic illness, such as encephalitis or meningitis (inflammation of the brain or surrounding tissues).
Your health department officials urge you to minimize the risk of mosquito bites by:
•Wearing long-sleeved shirt, shoes and socks between dusk and dawn when mosquitoes are most active
•Wear light-colored clothing, which is less attractive to mosquitoes
•Use EPA-registered mosquito repellent and follow the label directions
•Install or repair screens on windows and doors to keep mosquitoes out of your home
Eliminate mosquito breeding sites around your home:
•Eliminate standing water
•Empty or remove water-holding containers, such as buckets, unused flower pots and bird baths
•Make sure all roof gutters are clean and draining properly
•Keep child wading pools empty and on their sides when not being used
Learn more about mosquitoes and West Nile virus at www.fultoncountyhealthdept.com or call 419-337-0915.
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