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October
9, 2003
Little
Rock -- The Arkansas Department of Health (ADH)
is reporting new human cases of West Nile virus
in Arkansas, Benton, Miller and Pulaski Counties.
This brings the total
number of human cases reported statewide to 21(seven in
Jefferson County, three in Pulaski County, two in Miller
County, and one each in Arkansas, Benton, Cleburne,
Columbia, Drew, Johnson, Pope, Sevier and Union
Counties).
Health Department
officials are also today announcing birds testing
positive for West Nile virus in Baxter, Jackson and
Madison Counties.
Previously, the
Department had reported birds testing positive for the
West Nile virus in Arkansas, Ashley, Benton, Chicot,
Clark, Clay, Cleburne, Cleveland, Craighead, Crawford,
Conway, Dallas, Desha, Drew, Faulkner, Franklin, Greene,
Hempstead, Hot Spring, Jefferson, Lafayette, Lawrence,
Little River, Logan Lonoke, Miller, Mississippi, Monroe,
Newton, Phillips, Poinsett, Pope, Pulaski, Randolph,
Saline, Sebastian, Scott, Stone, Union, Washington, and
Woodruff counties. A positive mosquito pool has been
reported in Greene County. The ADH will no longer be
accepting birds for testing in any county where a bird
has tested positive this year.
People who are considered
at risk of infection are residents and visitors to areas
with an established presence of the virus and people who
engage in outdoor work and recreational activities.
Persons over age 50 and younger than age 15 seem to be
at greatest risk for developing severe disease.
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.”
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. 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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