| August
10, 2002
Little Rock —
In its ongoing
surveillance of mosquito-borne diseases, the Arkansas
Department of Health today reported that two of nine
human blood samples have tested positive in a preliminary
screening for West Nile virus. The suspected cases are
in Arkansas County.
One
of the two suspected cases is a resident of Texas. It
is as yet unknown where the patient contracted the disease.
Local officials are being notified.
“We
want to stress once again that these test results are
preliminary,” Dr. Boozman, ADH director, said. “The
next step is to forward the samples to the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention for more extensive testing.
We expect the CDC results in about three weeks. As with
our recent Union County case, there is a possibility
that these positive screenings will be returned negative
once confirmatory testing is completed.
“We
are reporting these suspected cases to keep the general
public aware of developments and can not thank enough
the citizens of Arkansas and health providers for their
help in tracking this problem statewide. However, I
want to emphasize again that the risk of West Nile virus
to Arkansans is miniscule when compared to other health
problems such as tobacco, obesity and the lack of physical
activity. With proper precautions and common sense,
Arkansans should continue their summer activities as
usual.”
The
following protective measures are recommended:
Make
sure all windows and doors have screens in good repair.
Stay indoors when mosquitoes are more active,
usually at dawn and dusk.
When it is necessary to be outdoors, wear protective
clothing and use mosquito repellent containing up to
35 percent DEET (N,N-diethyl-meta-toluamide).
Use
the following precautions when using repellents containing
DEET:
- Store
out of the reach of children and read all instructions
on the label before applying.
- Do
not allow young children to apply DEET themselves.
- Do
not apply DEET directly to children.
Apply to your own hands and then put it on the
child, avoiding the child’s face and hands.
- Avoid
prolonged and excessive use of DEET.
- Do
not apply repellents in enclosed areas.
- Do
not apply directly to your face.
- Wash
all treated skin and clothing after returning indoors.
If
you believe you or your child is having an adverse reaction
to a repellent containing DEET, wash the treated area
immediately and call your health care provider.
Mosquitoes
can breed in any body of water, from small containers
such as tires and tin cans, to large bodies of water
like lakes or marshes. These breeding places create
a variety of mosquito problems. To help stop mosquitoes
from breeding, Arkansans should:
-
Dispose of tin cans, plastic containers, ceramic pots
or similar water-holding containers.
-
Remove all discarded tires on your property.
-
Drill holes in the bottoms of recycling containers that
are kept outdoors. Make sure roof gutters drain properly
and clean clogged gutters in the spring and fall.
-
Turn over plastic wading pools and wheelbarrows when
not in use. Change the water in birdbaths.
-
Clean vegetation and debris from the edges of ponds.
-
Clean and chlorinate swimming pools, outdoor saunas
and hot tubs.
-
Drain water from pool covers.
-
Use landscaping to eliminate stagnant water that collects
on your property.
The Health Department is
continuing to monitor the state for mosquito-borne diseases.
The ADH has established
a West Nile virus hotline to respond to public inquiries.
If you have a question, please call 501.280.4817
from 8:00 a.m. through 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.
For after hours and weekends, please call 1.800.554.5738.
The
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention West Nile
virus hotline is 1.888.246-2675; 1.888.246.2857
(Spanish).
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