The Denver Department of Public Health and Environment has confirmed the first case of West Nile virus in Denver so far this year, and the positive test has health officials urging people to take precautions.
According to the DDPHE, West Nile Virus is most often transmitted to humans through the bite of an infected mosquito. The virus does not spread from person to person. In Colorado, West Nile Virus cases are most often diagnosed in August and September, although cases may be identified as early as May and as late as December. Mosquito season typically lasts from late April through mid-October, generally ending around the time of the first frost in the fall.
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Additional information from the Denver Department of Public Health and Environment:
DDPHE encourages residents to do their part to protect their communities from West Nile Virus by taking the following precautions:
• Prevent mosquitoes from laying eggs in or near water on your property.
• Anything that collects water, such as tires, buckets, planters, toys, wheelbarrows, pools, bird baths, flower pots and trash cans, should be emptied and scrubbed once a week, then turned upside down and covered or discarded.
• Make sure you have water storage containers, both indoors and outdoors.
• Don't water cement or roads, as this can cause puddles and allow mosquito larvae to breed.
• When making landscaping decisions, consider how to minimize splashback onto roads and gutters.
• Use an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)-registered insect repellent containing DEET. When used as directed, EPA-registered insect repellents have been proven safe and effective for pregnant and breastfeeding women.
• Avoid outdoor activities at dusk and dawn, when mosquitoes are most active.
• Wear loose-fitting, long-sleeved shirts and pants when outdoors.
• Use mosquito repellents, candles, incense, and other methods to keep mosquitoes away from your area.
• Install screens on your windows and doors. Repair holes in screens to keep mosquitoes outside.
Anyone is at risk for West Nile virus infection, but people over 50 and those with weakened immune systems are at higher risk for developing severe illness. Symptoms of West Nile virus typically include fever, extreme fatigue, headache, and body aches, but sometimes also a skin rash and swollen lymph nodes. Symptoms usually appear 3 to 14 days after being bitten by an infected mosquito. Most infections are mild, but more severe infections can lead to encephalitis (inflammation of the brain) or meningitis (inflammation of the lining of the brain), vision loss, paralysis, coma, tremors, convulsions, and even death.
If you live in Denver and are experiencing these symptoms, please see your doctor. While there is no treatment, cure, or vaccine for this virus, medical professionals can treat symptoms to help you feel better and recover faster.
For more information on West Nile virus and mosquito activity data in Colorado, visit the CDPHE website
Jennifer McRae
