Three Human Cases Of West Nile Virus In Utah Are Confirmed, And Here's How To Keep Yourself Safe
By Catherine Armstrong|Published August 22, 2019
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Catherine Armstrong
Author
Writer, editor and researcher with a passion for exploring new places. Catherine loves local bookstores, independent films, and spending time with her family, including Gus the golden retriever, who is a very good boy.
In the last week, it’s been confirmed that three Utahns have West Nile Virus, which can be a serious and even deadly disease. West Nile is carried and transmitted by mosquitos, and there are some things you need to know to keep yourself safe.
Since August 17th, three Utahns have been confirmed to be suffering from West Nile Virus: one in Salt Lake County, one in Washington County, and the latest in Grand County.
Luckily, most people who are infected with West Nile virus won't ever have any symptoms. Roughly 20 percent of people will develop symptoms, and those range from mild to very serious.
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While most people with symptoms suffer from mild issues similar to a head cold, an unlucky few can suffer from a life-threatening neuroinvasive form of the virus.
Mild symptoms of the virus include body aches, headache, nausea, and fever. Those symptoms usually just go away on their own. The neuroinvasive form of West Nile virus causes life-threatening issues like brain swelling and inflammation of the spinal cord. One of the three Utah patients is currently hospitalized with these serious medical problems.
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Are those mosquito bites you recently got cause for concern?
Not all mosquitos in Utah are infected with West Nile Virus, and like we've mentioned, most people who are bitten by an infected mosquito won't have any symptoms. However, if you experience symptoms such as high fever, sudden weakness, disorientation, or a severe headache, you should seek immediate medical attention.
Mosquitos love water, so make sure that you don't have any standing water on your property. Empty children's wading pools after use, and reconsider water features such as ponds in your yard. If you're visiting a local lake or pond, make sure to apply insect repellent.
In order for insect repellent to work, it must have one of several important ingredients.
DEET is a chemical commonly found in insect repellent. It's effective at keeping mosquitos at bay. Other ingredients in EPA-approved insect repellents that repel mosquitos include oil of lemon eucalyptus, IR3535, permethrin, and picaridin.
Minimize your risk of mosquito bites by wearing long pants and long-sleeved shirts outdoors, especially when visiting areas where there are a lot of mosquitos, like Utah's lakes and rivers.
Another way to keep mosquitos away is to make sure that your windows and doors are covered with screens that are in good condition.
In 2018, 11 human cases of West Nile were confirmed in Utah, with one death. In 2017, 62 people were diagnosed with West Nile, and five died.
For more information about West Nile Virus, its symptoms, and how to prevent it, visit the Utah Department of Health’s website. What precautions are you taking to keep you and your family safe from West Nile Virus? Tell our readers in the comments.
