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October
8, 2002
For
Tuesday, October 8, 2002
Little
Rock -- The
Arkansas Department of Health (ADH) is reporting four
new suspect human cases for West Nile virus, one each
for Ashley, Bradley, Independence and Lawrence counties.
These are the first suspect human cases of West Nile
virus for Ashley, Independence and Lawrence counties.
The
Department is also reporting that the Independence
County suspect case patient for West Nile virus has
died; the cause of death is as yet undetermined. As with
other suspect cases, a sample is being sent to the
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for
confirmatory testing.
RECAP:
For the Week Ending October 5, 2002
For
the week ending October 5, 2002, the Department reported
two additional suspect human cases for West Nile virus,
one each in Pulaski and Drew counties. This was the
first suspect human case of West Nile virus for Drew
County. Samples were forwarded to the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for confirmatory
testing. Results were expected within three to four
weeks.
Birds
tested positive for West Nile virus in five new
counties: Boone, Izard, Garland, Nevada and Saline. This
brought to 53 the number of counties recording the virus
in birds.
Arkansas
has 11 confirmed cases of West Nile virus in humans and
53 counties affected by the virus based on testing of
dead crows and blue jays. For a complete list and to
view current updates, visit the ADH website at www.healthyarkansas.com/westnilevirus.htm. For specific
bird information, visit the Arkansas Livestock and
Poultry website at www.arlpc.org.
West Nile Virus: How to
Protect Yourself While Outdoors
West
Nile virus is transmitted by infected mosquitoes biting
humans, horses and other animals after feeding on
diseased birds, which are the host animals.
Not all mosquitoes have a virus in them, but
certainly, the more mosquito bites one gets, the greater
the risk of catching a disease. Most people that get bitten by an infected mosquito do not
get sick or only show very mild or no symptoms.
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
leading to encephalitis (inflammation of the brain).
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:
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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.
The
health department is continuing to monitor the state for
mosquito-borne diseases and
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).
For
more information on West Nile virus, visit our website
at www.healthyarkansas.com/services/westnilevirus_main.htm.
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