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September 3, 2003
Little Rock
--
The
Arkansas Department of Health is reporting humans
testing positive for West Nile virus in Cleburne,
Miller, Pulaski and Sevier Counties and a positive bird
in Washington County.
This makes a total of ten human cases statewide
(six others in Jefferson County).
Dr.
William Mason, Medical Leader, Office of Public Health
Preparedness, said, “We urge the community to be aware
that while the risk of West Nile Virus for healthy
people is minimal, we are never out of the woods with
regard to this disease.
We advise precautionary measures, particularly
among the most susceptible — the elderly population,
the very young and those with underlying health
problems. Everyone should continue to enjoy physical activity
out-of-doors, while practicing the three D’s: use
insect repellent with DEET; take protective action
(repellent and protective clothing) especially if you
have to go outside at dusk and dawn when mosquitoes
feed; drain standing water around your house and in your
yard.”
To date this season, the
Department has reported birds testing positive for the
West Nile virus in Arkansas, Ashley, Benton, Chicot,
Clark, Cleburne, Craighead, Crawford, Conway, Dallas,
Drew, Faulkner, Greene, Hempstead, Hot Spring,
Jefferson, Little River, Lonoke, Miller, Mississippi,
Pulaski, Sebastian, Union, and Woodruff counties. A
positive mosquito pool has been reported in Greene
County. Horses have tested positive in Sebastian, Logan
and Van Buren Counties. The ADH will no longer be accepting birds for testing
in any county where a bird has tested positive this
year.
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. 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 from 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
following protective measures are recommended:
Make
sure all windows and doors have screens in good repair.
Stay indoors when mosquitoes are more active,
usually from dusk to dawn.
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.
-
Do
not apply repellents to clothing or to skin that is
covered by clothing.
-
Do
not apply repellents in enclosed areas.
-
Do
not apply directly to your face.
-
Wash
all treated skin 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.
West
Nile virus is transmitted by infected mosquitoes to
humans, horses and other animals after feeding on
diseased birds, which are the host animals. Symptoms of
human West Nile virus infections typically begin within
14 days following the insect bite and consist of fever,
muscle and joint aches, listlessness, and in most severe
cases, headaches which may indicate encephalitis
(inflammation of the brain). There is no specific
treatment for West Nile virus infection; avoiding
mosquitoes is the best prevention.
“Very
few people bitten by West Nile virus-infected mosquitoes
experience anything beyond a day or two of feeling mild
flu-like symptoms,” Dr. Mason said. “Those at
greatest risk are the very old and those with underlying
health problems. The surest way to stop the spread of
these mosquito-borne diseases is prevention, and every
household can take action.” Last year, 43 West Nile
infections were reported in Arkansas residents.
Five of these cases resulted in death.
For
more information call the ADH Health Information Line at
1.877.296.9555 or Local 296.9555 or the CDC West Nile
virus hotline at 1.888.246-2675; 1.888.246-2857
(Spanish). For more information, visit the ADH website
at www.healthyarkansas.com/services/westnilevirus_main.htm.
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